Originally Posted by
Mr Optimistic
You need to drag the MP into this, and the national press .
Well you can’t make this up but the MP who is the MP that covers the airport is also a Councillor for the ruling party in Luton. Yes she has two jobs so being a MP gives her lots of free time to be a Councillor as well.
When it comes to the airport there is scandal after scandal. One of the best ones involved the planning committee. After taking control of the 75 acre local park that adjoins the airport without even a consultation. The airport (LLAL) puts in a planning application to the Council (remember that the airport is the Council) to build the Terminal 2 access road on the pretence it was for a business park.
One of the Councillors who voted in favour of the application sits on a management committee of a company that is also a registered charity. Nothing wrong in that except that company had received over £820,000 in grants from LLAL.
Well members of the community kicked off, there was a stink in the papers with this “clown” publishing a statement that was clearly written by the Council on his behalf saying he had done nothing wrong. The claim was that he had broken Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and the council’s code of conduct by taking part and voting on the planning application.
The Council was obliged to convene a Standards Committee hearing that reviews the actions of Councillors. With his Councillor mates sitting on that committee there were no surprises he was cleared. It’s a bit like a court case before a jury and half the jury go drinking with the defendant once a week.
Oh and this hearing that was meant to be held in public was conducted without members of the public in attendance as the Council kept the hearing date a secret. Even those making the complaints and who wanted to attend knew nothing until weeks later which led to another complaint.