Susan Orrell

City Solicitor

P.O. Box 532

Town Hall

Albert Square

Manchester

M60 2LA

DX 714441 Manchester 1

Ms M Sykes

By Email: [FOI #33065 email]

Dear Ms Skyes

Re: Request for Information

Reference Number: CEX/86BQ38

Thank you for your request for information, which was received by Manchester City Council on 19th April 2010 and has been considered under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FoIA). I apologise for the delay in sending you the information you have requested.

I set out below your request and the Council's response to your request:

Did Cllr John Flanagan, in his official capacity, play any part in the closure of the Ace of Diamonds Public House

The information held by the Council is as follows:

Cllr Flanagan, along with other local Members, was consulted on the draft Neighbourhood Plan approved by the Executive in July 2006. The draft Neighbourhood Plan identified a number of residential and commercial buildings in the Miles Platting neighbourhood for demolition and subsequent redevelopment as part of the proposals for the regeneration of the wider area. The Ace of Diamonds public house was included within these proposals.

To support the delivery of the Neighbourhood Plan the Executive of the City Council approved the making of the Miles Platting Neighbourhood Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) in July 2007 and again, local members were consulted on this report.

Following a public inquiry in July 2008, the CPO was confirmed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in February 2009. The Council exercised its power to acquire the vast majority of the land included in the CPO (including the Ace of Diamonds) and the land vested in the City Council on 4 September 2009.

The Council proceeded to take possession of all the land and the Ace of Diamonds was closed in March of this year.

Please note if you are not satisfied with this response you may ask for an internal review. If you wish to complain you should contact Lynn Evans, Information Compliance Officer ([Manchester City Council request email]) in the first instance. Your complaint will be considered by a senior officer who has not already been involved with this response. If you require more information about the Council's access to information complaints procedure this can be downloaded from http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/download_info.php?fileID=5769.

Alternatively, if you prefer a paper copy, please let me know.

Please also note that if you have exhausted the internal Councils' review procedures and you are still not satisfied you have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner (ICO). Details of this procedure can be found on the ICO website: http://www.ico.gov.uk

Alternatively the ICO can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Please remember to quote the above reference number in any future correspondence.

Yours sincerely

Liz Treacy

Head of Legal Services

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