It's all very odd, isn't it? Tony Fernandes has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Council Leader, Julian Bell, but is now suggesting that he'll say 'no' to a free gift of £35 million pounds worth of land.Is that credible? He certainly couldn't get it cheaper - after all, it's a free gift from Council Leader Julian Bell. In return for this donation Fernandes is required only to spend six million pounds building an exclusive three storey training ground for his club, complete with accommodation block. Now returned to the Premier League, Sky cash should pay for that - one game would cover all costs. So, it can't be the money that's posing a challenge for Fernandes.Is it what Fernandes calls the 'local complainers' - residents who don't share his view of building on Metropolitan Open Space. You can understand his frustration. Malaysia's 24th richest man, with an estimated £650 million pound fortune at his disposal, is not familiar with 'little people' getting in his way. When he wants to get something in Malaysia, he directly lobbies Prime Minister Najib Razak. Fernandes' philosophy, he says is: 'I will wait for no one.'His words are an intriguing insight into the man's character and possibly suggest he wouldn't make a very pleasant neighbour for those living near Warren Farm, should he finally decide that Julian Bell's free gift is too good to be turned away.However, it is probably not local residents who are the problem for Fernandes. In his determination to give away this valuable site for the next 200 years, Julian Bell assigned a powerful team of lawyers to block local residents who wanted a Judicial Review.There is no appeal beyond Judicial Review - So Fernandes, with considerable and largely unexplained help from Julian Bell, has secured the backing of the courts.So, if it's not the money; the 'local complainers' or the law which is the cause for a change of heart in the QPR chairman, what could it possibly be?It could be that, like his airline, he really does want a 'no frills, budget' training ground and he'd be happy to say no to Julian Bell's £35 million pound free offer.It could be a reflection on the way in which the 50 year-old likes to do business. It's a message to both his generous benefactor on Ealing Council and to the local residents. It says Warren Farm means so little to him, that he'd dump it tomorrow if he wanted and in his words 'move on.'Or perhaps it is a negotiating device. Remember, Fernandes learnt his skills in business at the elbow of his mother, Ena, as she travelled door-to-door selling Tuppaware. Haggling is second nature to him. It's quite probable Fernandes will be returning to Julian Bell and saying he wants Council Tax Payers to underwrite the £6 million pound cost of his training - or he's pulling out.That would be a preposterous suggestion, if Julian Bell hadn't already gifted £35 million in land to Fernandes's business operation at QPR. As it stands, further haggling is a possibility.Naturally, Julian Bell has nothing to say on the issue other than his oft quoted response, that giving away publicly owned land to private enterprises is a really good idea. However, he has signed that Memorandum of Understanding with Fernandes and he has incurred considerable Council costs in paving the way for the training ground. If Fernandes walks away from the deal, we should expect at least a few words from our Council Leader on whether he plans to hold him to the MOU and to secure costs. As for local residents in the Save Warren Farm Campaign, they're now putting their faith in the Localism Act of 2011, which might allow them to bid for the site.For many there would be a sweet justice should they be successful: That a localism so despised by the powerful Tony Fernandes should ultimately lose him a £35 million pound freeby. For the piano playing Fernandes, it would be entirely out of key.
Richard Bestic ● 4208d