UPDATE (13/8/22): VICTORY! Andrew Pope Succeeds In His Campaign For Safe Standing at Southampton FC and St. Mary's Stadium

 

Daily Echo 10th August 2022
Our Campaign Win!

 

UPDATE (13/8/22): After 5 years campaigning, with our increased pressure on Southampton FC producing our victory, officers of Southampton FC have finally announced in public that they will be bringing safe standing in. It happened at the Fans Forum earlier this week. Saints' admission was in response to a question from Adam Blackmore of BBC Radio Solent. Southampton Independents had been in touch with BBC Radio Solent prior to Southampton FC's announcement, to inform them of our campaign victory.

Andrew Pope Demonstrating Rail Seats
At A Media Call He Organised in Southampton in 2018

We have great news. Another campaign win for Southampton Independents and Andrew Pope. We've won on Safe Standing at St. Mary's.

We have given the Daily Echo an exclusive on our 5 YEAR campaign for Safe Standing a St. Mary's Stadium. They write:

Daily Echo Website Late on 9/8/22

"The step forward for safe standing is a victory for former independent city councillor Andrew Pope who has been campaigning on the issue for five years. 

He says it would improve the atmosphere and matchday experience for both home and away fans.

Now, he's been contacted by Saints to say they are looking to 'adopt and embrace' safe standing."

Daily Echo 10th Aug 2022

 

Andrew, who is a former Southampton Independents councillor, said:

Andrew at St. Mary's in 2018

"I am delighted that after five years of leading the campaign for Safe Standing, that Southampton FC have finally confirmed to me that they will be doing a trial and that I will be consulted on the designs, which I understand are imminent.

I would like to thank Tim Greenwell of Southampton FC for listening to me on my concerns regarding fan safety and for confirming this trial, Jon Darch of the Rail Seats Roadshow and Ann Ramage of the Sports Grounds Safety Authority.

I would also like to thank the Daily Echo for covering the full course of my campaign over the five years.

As for Southampton City Council, their responses to my Freedom of Information requests have been an embarrassment to our City. They denied the existence of the campaign, their own letter to Southampton FC and even that the Full Council meeting happened. I am considering complaining to the Information Commissioner's Office."

Southampton Independents listened to Saints fans.

Southampton Independents acted for Saints fans.

Labour and the Tories were nowhere to be seen. They do not listen to residents. They do not act for residents.

Southampton Independents does provide leadership. But it also listens to and works with Southampton residents.

Andrew adds:

"We've had it confirmed by the Council in their second FoI response to me - the Labour-run and Tory-run councils did nothing. That's not just my opinion. It is a fact proven by Southampton City Council officers. 

Just the one letter - in four years - was sent by the Council on safe standing. And that was ordered by the motion that I forced through the Council! 

The contents of the letter by former Labour Leader of the Council Christopher Hammond were very weak. He didn't bother to consult me before sending his letter form of limp lettuce. So I had to up the pressure.

And it is just as well that Saints fans did not rely on the "Executive taking the lead" as written to me by Labour Councillor Dave Shields after he and the other councillors majority voted for my motion. Because the FoI response PROVES he and successive Labour or Tory councils did nothing!

It's another campaign win for me and Southampton Independents, but most importantly, for Saints fans and Southampton residents. That's what Southampton Independents exists to do."

England versus Wales
St. Mary's Stadium

 

Southampton Itchen Conservative MP Royston Smith's Appalling Record on Climate Change

 

Southampton Itchen MP
Conservative Royston Smith
(Photo: Parliament)

"Royston Smith consistently voted against measures to prevent climate change"

Southampton Independents wants to see clear action from Southampton councillors and Southampton Members of Parliament. One of the MPs is Royston Smith, MP for Southampton Itchen in the East of our City.

According to independent analysis by TheyWorkForYou.com:

"Royston Smith consistently voted against measures to prevent climate change"

TheyWorkForYou shows that Royston Smith voted against dealing with climate change right from when he was first elected in 2015, and the last vote they tracked was in 2021.

Last year, the Daily Echo reported that Royston Smith "hit out as climate pressure rises", responding to an attack from Southampton Test Labour MP Alan Whitehead on the Conservatives' record on climate change:

"Tory MP for Southampton Itchen Royston Smith has claimed that the government has 'ambitious plans' to tackle climate change."

Andrew Pope, a former Southampton Independents councillor who stood against Alan Whitehead for Southampton Independents in the 2017 General Election, responds:

 

 

Andrew Pope Campaigner on Climate Change

 

"Royston Smith's record is appalling on climate change. It is proved by his voting record.

 

Alan Whitehead also attacked the Conservative-run Council. The Conservatives only had control of the Council for just one year in the last ten, since 2012. So if he is going to attack the Council for its lack of action, then it is Labour that has failed to act on climate change here in Southampton. And Alan Whitehead's time is up.

Labour prefers to pretend it is taking action, but when I campaigned for the Council to install solar panels on all of the Council housing, the Labour-run Council was not interested. 

 

Many of the climate change ideas of the former Labour Leader of the Council Richard Williams, were lost when he resigned in disgrace for misleading councillors, for misleading council officers and for misleading the public.

It's yet another case of Labour or Tory, same old story. Southampton Independents will fight to prevent the damage to wildlife, to Planet Earth and to humans, caused by the failure of successive Labour and Tory Governments to stop climate change."

 

 

Southampton Independents
Supporters in 2018

One of Our 2018 Campaigns on Environment

 

Southampton Independents Supporters
At The 2017 General Election

Residents Agree With Us: Labour or Tory, Same Old Story - On Roads And Many Other Things!

Labour Or Tory, Same Old Story

Residents agreed with us back in 2017 when we formed Southampton Independents and said:

"Labour or Tory, same old story".

Southampton Independents was formed because residents had got tired of the lack of progress at the City Council and that the Council was not working on the issues that mattered to local residents.

And they still agree with us when we say it now. They laugh, because it is true. 

Southampton Labour and Southampton Conservatives do not like it when we say it - in fact they get very rattled. Because it is true.

Labour councillors or Tory councillors say one thing when in opposition and then do exactly what they had criticised the other for doing, when they take control of the Council. 

Sadly, there are no longer any Independent councillors on the Council to keep them honest. Southampton Independents is trying to keep them honest. 

These Westminster parties will act desperately to cling on to power - not to help residents, but to help themselves and keep power for its own sake.

For example, Labour Councillor Satvir Kaur criticised 20mph when in Opposition. She said that the evidence shows that it doesn't work. But when Labour were in control of the Council, they brought in 20mph. From the Daily Echo:

"Leader for the opposition, Cllr Satvir Kaur said: 'We all are fed up with our streets being used as rat-runs. It’s why Labour introduced 20mph zones around the city in the first place.

But what matters is what actually works. And without the ability to enforce this properly, evidence shows this doesn’t work on its own."

Southampton Independents campaigner Andrew Pope - who was a councillor in the Redbridge, Maybush and Millbrook areas for eight years and stepped down in 2019 - agreed for the first trial to go ahead in his council area (ward) in 2012. Andrew says:

Andrew Pope

"I was unsure. So I agreed to the trial on the condition that there would be enforcement. Speed data was collected.

As I reported back to residents after the trial, the evidence did not show much difference in average speeds - only a few miles per hour, and certainly not ten miles per hour from 30 to 20mph.

I agreed for the signage to continue to be up, as it would have cost more for it to come down. But it is a false "limit". The trial was disappointing and a failure.

At a residents meeting in the Channel Islands Estate in the North West of the City, I mentioned the 20mph to the Police who were there. The Police said they had not even been told about the Council's policy of 20mph!

Now we learn from the Daily Echo that the "new" Labour-run Council is reducing speeds on Southampton roads, despite the Police objecting to it. Earlier in 2022, the Tory-run Council did a "consultation" but carried on anyway - no matter what the public or Police said!

Is this how public money should be spent - on things that don't work or won't work if the Police don't agree or the Council doesn't do what works?

No, the Council have to have effective measures, not wasting our money.

And how can the Police enforce any limit - 20 or 30 or 40 - if they were not told about it or don't agree or even object to it? They asked us residents to volunteer to do the job for them. 

There were not many volunteers, which is unsurprising when you hear about the abuse people get when they volunteer under Community Speed Watch schemes elsewhere.

When word got out about the lack of enforcement on the 20mph, it is perhaps no surprise that speeds were not reduced sufficiently.

Despite this, the Labour-run Council or the Tory-run Council have repeated the same 20mph fake "limits" in other parts of Southampton. Labour or Tory, same old story.

When in opposition, they've criticised it. But when in power, they've carried it on. Why?

Are they really dealing with the issue of road safety or of parking in Southampton, or just pretending to?

Residents have realised that the Council - whether Labour or Tory - have not listened to all residents in their sham consultations. Now we see that the Labour or Tory councillors do not listen to the Police either.

And it is just another example of Labour or Tory, same old story.

Southampton Independents will keep on trying to keep Labour and Tory honest.

We put Southampton residents first, not Westminster."

UPDATE (9/8/22): Announcement By Andrew Pope on Safe Standing - Five Years Later, Southampton FC Still Refusing To Publicly Commit To Safe Standing

 

Andrew Pope Demonstrating Rail Seats
and Showing the Dangers of Standing With Existing Seating
Photo: Southampton Independents

UPDATE (9/8/22)

Andrew Pope says:

"Recently, after upping the pressure, I have achieved improved dialogue between the Safe Standing campaign, officers of Southampton FC, the Rail Seats Roadshow, Saints fans and the Sports Grounds Safety Authority. But Southampton City Council have been no help. Why?

Because in a Freedom of Information request (FoI), Southampton City Council denied to me that the Full Council meeting in 2018 - where I achieved support for my motion for Safe Standing - ever happened! They said no Council meeting occurred between 2017 and 2022 on safe standing.

Incredibly, the Council's FoI response also denied that any correspondence ever occurred between the Council and Southampton FC. Southampton City Council's FoI function has limited credibility. This correspondence did not happen? Well, I've seen the correspondence. I told the Council that what they wrote was pathetic, and there was correspondence. But the Council's own FoI response denies it!

Perhaps the Daily Echo, BBC Radio Solent and other local and national news organisations all reported on my campaign, and they had imagined it? It's the Council getting it wrong again. The Football Supporters Association definitely had heard about my campaign. But the Council denies it.

Reality definitely seems to exist in a parallel universe to the FoI staff at Southampton City Council! Their FoI response was abysmal, it was very wrong, and I've asked them for an Internal Review, which has already gone past the deadline they gave me. Nobody can trust the Council's FoI responses when it is this bad.

I have again raised concerns with officers of Southampton FC about safety and persistent standing at St. Mary's Stadium, particularly around the repeated problems at the segregation line between home and away fans - a source of repeated flashpoints during last season. I have urged Southampton FC not to consider Block 1 for any safe standing. Almost every other location in the Stadium would be preferable for any trial.

After five years, I am hopeful of a breakthrough.

Because of the improved dialogue, I am now more hopeful than ever that Southampton FC will engage meaningfully with me and other independent fans on Safe Standing, and I strongly believe that fans will get our trial of Safe Standing at St. Mary's Stadium. "

More news to follow, hopefully via local news media...

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Other Premier League Clubs Have Installed Safe Standing – Why Are Saints Delaying?

"Five years after, Saints will still not commit publicly to definitely bringing in safe standing.  How long are they going to wait?"

 

The leader of the campaign for Safe Standing at Southampton FC, Andrew Pope, attended St. Mary’s Stadium for a Women’s Euros 2022 football match. Andrew was saddened to see that safe standing had still not been installed. It reminded the former Southampton Independents Councillor to get an update and up the pressure on the new owners of Southampton FC.

When Andrew asked Tim Greenwell - who is Chief Governance and Operations Officer for Southampton FC – he was told:

"We are currently in discussions internally and with our supporters group about safe standing.

We are building our own plans around this issue and are working with the right people to determine whether this is something that is right for St Mary's and our supporters.”

Andrew responded:

Andrew at St. Mary's

 

“Five years after I started the campaign for Safe Standing, Saints will still not commit publicly to bringing in safe standing. This is frustrating. And it is despite it now being legal to do so because the Government changed the rules after years of campaigning by us football fans. Our campaign victory happened earlier this month.

How long are Southampton FC going to wait to apply for a safe standing licence? Other clubs have been early adopters.

Will Saints be the last adopter?

Will Saints be the last to give its fans what they want which is to stand safely at the football? I hope not.

Yes, they need time to plan it safely, but even Cardiff City have beaten them and they are in the Championship, not the Premier League.”

 

Rail Seats Roadshow's Jon Darch
Showing How Dangerous Unsafe Standing Is Now
Photo: Southampton Independents

As shown on this website, back in 2017, Andrew started a petition for Saints fans that received around 1,000 signatures, and organised a demonstration of rail seats – one form of safe standing - in Southampton. 

As a Southampton City Councillor, Councillor Pope proposed a motion at Southampton City Council on 16th May 2018. The motion was carried by the majority votes of councillors. The full text of the Motion is below.

Andrew added: 

“At the Austria-Northern Ireland Women's Euros match, I stood with other fans in the Itchen Stand for almost the entire match. No stewards asked us to sit down. 

Standing without rail seats is common at every Premier League match, but it is not safe when the Stadium is packed. 

Safe standing must be the future at St. Mary’s Stadium. 

I’m glad that my Freedom of Information request to the Council revealed that talks are happening by Southampton FC speaking with the Safety Advisory Group and SGSA. Other responses from the Council were extremely worrying and they will be revealed in due course.

I hope that safe standing will happen in the next year. But why so slow?

And why is the communication from Southampton FC with its fans on safe standing, so lacking?

Southampton FC claim to be speaking to a supporters group. I believe they are called "Saints Voice" but most fans have never heard of them.

I've asked Southampton FC for more details of what this supporters group has done to push for Safe Standing, but had no response.

From what I've discovered myself, there has been very little pressure coming from Saints Voice on safe standing. I'm sure those individuals on Saints Voice are well-meaning, but they are not independent of the football business or its owners.

I saw this sort of thing when I was a union rep 20 years ago - company management tried to undermine the union by creating an "employees voice". This was to by-pass the independent union, whose reps were elected.

Southampton FC seems to be pretending that it listens to fans so that it can claim to the authorities, including the SGSA, that it talks to fans. But it seems to be more like a "tickbox exercise" than a genuine body with fan power.

Fans pay Southampton FC a fortune in ticket prices every year. They deserve to be listened to and their concerns acted upon.

This requires an independent organisation with elected representatives who can be removed if they do not represent fans."

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Minutes of Annual General Meeting, Council - Wednesday, 16th May, 2018 11.00 am

https://www.southampton.gov.uk/modernGov/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=122&MId=3542&Ver=4

16.

Motions (a)  Cllr Pope to move:   This Council supports standing up for Southampton FC fans and standing up with Saints fans. But since the Taylor Report, and changes to safety regulations, fans are not allowed to stand up at the match.   Yet Saints' fans passion means that they do stand at every match in the Itchen and Northam stands. They want to stand. They want to sing. They want to shout. Safe standing allows them to support the team with more passion and to do so safely.   This Council supports the national campaign for Safe Standing in the Premier League, and supports Safe Standing at St. Mary's Stadium.   This Council agrees to write to the Board of Saints and to the Secretary of State to urge the Government and/or Parliament to change legislation to allow trials in the Premier League and then full installation of rail seats or other safe alternatives.   UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED   CARRIED.     RESOLVED: that the Motion be approved.