London Stadium owners spent £3.3m on legal fees

A freedom of information request submitted by ClaretandHugh has revealed the staggering amount of taxpayers money spent by Stadium owners London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) and E20 Stadium LLP in external legal services relating to the London Stadium.

The LLDC spent a staggering £1,834,550.02 excluding VAT getting external legal advice and creating the 99-year Agreement with West Ham United prior to March 2013.  Following the signing of the document in 2013, they have spent a further £119,284.37 (excl. VAT) in legal advice and services over the agreement with the Hammers.

E20 Stadium LLP of which is part up of LLDC and Newham Council spent an additional £207,328.82 (excl. VAT) in external legal advice and services since the signing of the West Ham United agreement in relation to the contract.

It means that taxpayers have contributed £2,161,163.21 in creating a legal agreement for the London Stadium and receiving advice post agreement.

The public sector spending on legal services doesn’t end there.

E20 spent £512,166.86 (excl. VAT) on external legal services to create an agreement with Operators London Stadium 185 which is part of the French Vinci group. Since signing that contract in January 2015 E20 have spent a further £128,133.91 (excl.VAT) on legal advice and services in relation to the contract.

Outside of West Ham and the Stadium Operators contracts, E20 spent £200,091.08 on external legal advice and services on a variety of things which include the relocatable seating, naming rights and the stadium wrap and screen.

LLDC spent an additional £383,260.58 (excl. VAT) on external legal services outside of West Ham and Stadium Operators for variety of reasons which include the Leyton Orien Judicial Review, European State Aid Compliant, Advice of whether there was a requirement to move the East stand for the World Athletics Championships and  advice on LLDC board duties.

This totals an eye-watering £3.3m in external legal advice and services spent by the stadium owners which are funded by the taxpayer.