Matthew Lobley met with Gary Lumby, Head of Retail Banking at Yorkshire Bank, in January to discuss banking in Yorkshire, the economy and the controversial Yorkshire Bank Sports Ground in Moortown.

"Gary Lumby struck me as being a very straight talking man" said Matthew, "I was reassured to hear that Yorkshire Bank is in good health and has no plans to close any further bank branches in Leeds or make any redundancies. Through employing the sort of responsible behaviour we should have seen with the large banks, Yorkshire Bank has avoided the major pitfalls. It's reassuring for jobs in the city especially after the problems with HBOS and Bradford and Bingley over the last 2 years."

Matthew informed Mr Lumby that if elected as the next MP for Leeds North East he would oppose major developments on the Yorkshire Bank playing pitches in Moortown. He asked Mr Lumby to consider possible models for bringing the grounds into community use and hopefully stop the seemingly endless applications for building up to 100 houses on the site.

"I understand the Mr Lumby has shareholders who expect him to get value out of this land, but if planning applications are repeatedly turned down this is not value for them either. I suggested he asked his team to consider models for setting up a trust so local people could buy shares in the land which precludes any future development, but opens the land to public use. He told me he would pass on this request for consideration."

Moortown Local Election Candidate Dan Cohen has repeatedly called for such a trust and discussed this with Matthew prior to the meeting.

"I'm pleased to have Dan's support especially as he looks likely to be elected to the Council this May for the ward of Moortown" said Matthew.

2nd February 2010