Politicians give Olympic news a guarded welcome

11:52am Friday 8th July 2005

AS London secured its bid to stage the 2012 Olympics on Wednesday, local politicians, while broadly welcoming the news, expressed concern about the financial implications for borough residents.

Business leaders, however, said that the games would have a positive impact on the community.

At the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting in Singapore, London beat off arch rivals Paris by 54 votes to 50 after bids from Moscow, New York and Madrid were eliminated.

But with the majority of events to be staged in Stratford, east London and all London boroughs expected to foot the bill the response in Richmond upon Thames has been cautious.

"This is an enormous triumph for the United Kingdom and Seb Coe's team," said Richmond upon Thames Council leader Tony Arbour. "The games will provide a tonic for the nation. However my joy is tempered because the bill is not being met by the nation.

"It will cost each council taxpayer at least £240 plus a share in any loss made by the games.

"As Greater London Assembly member and a council leader, I shall seek to persuade government that this national achievement should be funded nationally."

His concerns are echoed by Twickenham MP Dr Vincent Cable who has mixed reactions about the result declared by IOC president Jacques Rogge.

"People are naturally pleased that London has been chosen but I am genuinely concerned about the massive financial implications if the costs get out of control, which will fall on Londoners in years to come.

"It is not clear whether the borough will derive any direct benefit. The danger with this is we get none of the benefits and are asked to pay the bill."

The Mayor of Richmond Cllr Robin Jowit also extended his congratulations but insisted the borough must not be overlooked.

However, Chris Cooper, the chief executive of Richmond Chamber of Commerce, believes the games will have a positive impact on business in the area.

"There are quite a lot of people employed in sport and media related businesses in the borough who are going to be affected," he said. "As part of London it is not unreasonable to expect that we are going to do very well from an influx of tourists."

Although facilities will be built away from the borough, Mr Cooper believes local businesses could also tender for contracts.

But he warns: "Whether the net income and benefit exceeds the net spend and tax payers' funding of this remains to be seen."

Richmond ice rink campaigner Richard Meacock congratulated the bid but added: "The promotion costs alone would have built ten Richmond ice rinks. Let's have something to show for it, the multipurpose indoor public stadium we've been waiting for since 1992."

From a competitive standpoint this will be the games in which today's children compete and with Competitive Edge, the council driven sports programme, taking a grip in the borough's schools many hope we could be producing Olympians. Cllr Geoffrey Samuel, Richmond council cabinet member for schools, said: "Over the next few years, we will be talent spotting those with Olympic potential and giving them our every support and encouragement.

"Next week we will announce a scheme that will extend our current Competitive Edge programme. This will nurture the needs of the increase in sporting talent in the borough."

Gary Palmer school sports co-ordinator programme partnership development manager added: "There are also benefits in terms of volunteers. We are doing a lot of work with the junior sports leader programme. Young people can have a role to play even if they are not competing."

A delighted Dr Dick Fisher, vice principle of St Mary's College, which has represented institutes of higher education on the London 2012 forum and hope to work on the games, said: "This is a high performance centre for sport. We also do a lot of sport for the borough. The bid was a vision about youth and education and that's very much St Mary's.

"People are going to come to St Mary's and Richmond because of tourism. Richmond will get a lot out of it."

Meanwhile Richmond Park MP Susan Kramer has called for a proper investment into local transport to allow residents easy access to the games, including an improvement of the Silverlink service.

"We must get a first class train service for the Olympics and ensure that Waterloo's vacated Eurostar platforms can be used to develop additional capacity overground to benefit people travelling in from Richmond and Kingston."

The 2012 Olympics will be the first time Britain has hosted the games since 1948.

l Borough must go for gold - see page 9.