THE British Horseracing Authority has given Musselburgh Racecourse a stay of execution over the issue of renewing its licence in time for the next meeting at the East Lothian track.
The BHA has announced that it will decide by noon today whether it will accept an offer by Councillor Willie Innes, East Lothian’s Labour leader, that the council would agree to an independent review of the governance of the course – the only racecourse in the UK in the direct control of local councillors. The National can reveal that the BHA did not receive Innes’s offer until after 4pm when the deadline was 5pm, and that Innes only acted after the GMB trade union intervened.
The BHA is concerned that Musselburgh Joint Racing Committee (MJRC), which held the licence for the course, should be commissioning the review and not the council which owns the buildings and other facilities but does not control the running of the course.
Innes, who chairs the MJRC on which the council has an in-built majority over the Lothian Racing Syndicate of racing professionals, said that while the MJRC could not commission the necessary review, East Lothian Council could do so.
Innes said: “I have now been able to ascertain that no member of the Musselburgh Joint Racing Committee is opposed to an independent governance review. I have therefore this afternoon informed the British Horseracing Authority that the MJRC agrees to an independent governance review in relation to Musselburgh Racecourse.
“On behalf of the MJRC, I have asked East Lothian Council to commission such an independent review. “I hope that the BHA will now be able to grant an extension to the racecourse’s licence – providing welcome certainty for employees and race-goers alike.”
The two factions on the MJRC have been in dispute for years and the issue of a governance review – there have been two which East Lothian has ignored — came to a head last week when the track’s temporary licence expired. The evening fixture on July 14 will be cancelled if the licence is not renewed today.
The course employs 15 full time staff and up to 250 support staff while evening race meetings bring huge trade to local pubs, hotels, bookmakers, restaurants, and taxi firms.
GMB union official Barry Fletcher said: “Most of the staff are GMB members. I had a meeting with Willie Innes this morning which overall was quite constructive. I did show my concern regarding the racecourse and how concerned the staff are over the meeting on July 14.”
The BHA stated it was now “seeking clarification” on Innes’s offer but would announce its decision by noon.
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