This is a continuation of the Save Manston Airport Newsletter, posted 21st March : #1673
Updated 2015-04-01
So Manston Airport is being noticed nationally – As well as the Conservatives and Labour, UKIP also have made it their main plank down here in Thanet, and no one doubts Russ Timpson's and the Lib Dem's commitment to Manston Airport. We are indeed forging true cross-party support for Manston Airport.
Now we need Thanet District Council to listen to them all and go for the Compulsory Purchase Order.
But we also need to ask what is the situation regarding Manston Airport at Kent County Council (KCC), and we need an explanation of KCC Leader Paul Carter’s position on Manston Airport. On the surface, the matter could not be clearer :
On Thursday 17th July Kent County Council (KCC) held a Council Meeting, and unanimously supported : “
Kent County Council supports the actions taken so far by Thanet District Council to retain Manston as a regional airport. We recognise the value that a regional airport brings to East Kent and are disappointed at its closure. Kent County Council will explore with Thanet District Council ways in which it can support proposals to retain Manston as an airport.” KCC’s first ever unanimous Full Council vote !
Excellent – so what have they done to support TDC in the intervening 8 months ? – Well after much investigation they claim to have sent one email to a TDC officer.
The Select Committee on Transport (Smaller Airports) had this to say :
Kent County Council
49. Kent County Council (KCC) is the local transport authority for Kent, which means it has strategic oversight of aviation in the county. On 17 July 2014, KCC considered the case of Manston airport. County councillors agreed the following motion by 82 votes to nil:
That Kent County Council supports the actions taken so far by Thanet District Council to retain Manston as a regional airport. We recognise the value that a regional airport brings to East Kent and are disappointed at its closure. Kent County Council will explore with Thanet District Council ways in which it can support proposals to retain Manston as an airport.[69]
Paul Carter, Leader, KCC, attended and voted at that meeting.
50. In September 2014, Paul Carter commented on the sale of Manston to Chris Musgrave and Trevor Cartner:
Chris Musgrave and Trevor Cartner have a fantastic track record in taking over large and difficult sites following the demise of earlier uses, and regenerating them to create jobs and bring economic benefits to the wider area. Their team has done this at Wynyard Park in Billingham, where they have created 2,000 jobs and attracted £200 million of private investment, and at Discovery Park here in Kent where more than 1,000 new jobs have been added to the 600 that Pfizer left behind. I have every confidence that they can do even more at Manston.[70]
Paul Carter's remarks in September 2014 were inconsistent with the motion agreed by KCC on 17 July 2014.
51. We asked Paul Carter to explain his position. He told us that "
the motion that was supported unanimously by the county council said we would be prepared to support Thanet district council in a CPO process at Manston, provided a viable and thriving airport could be delivered at Manston."[71] He subsequently admitted that there was no such caveat to the KCC motion.[72]
He also reiterated his enthusiasm for the redevelopment of the Manston site rather than its operating as an airport.[73]
We asked him whether Trevor Cartner or Chris Musgrave had shown him detailed plans for the redevelopment. He replied, "
They showed me nothing."[74]
52.
Kent County Council has the legal and financial resources to assess complex CPO cases. Despite having agreed a motion to support Thanet District Council, it failed to deploy those assets. In failing to support Thanet District Council's scrutiny of the proposed CPO at Manston, Kent County Council also failed to fulfil its strategic oversight function as the local transport authority.
What has been Paul Carter’s response to this challenge by the Transport Select Committee ? Well he has had produced (we believe using KCC officers’ time and KCC money) a glossy 36 page PDF document traducing Manston Airport and RiverOak, and extolling the property speculators who are in charge of Manston Airport.
The Save Manston Airport association took a full 32 seater coach of supporters to County Hall, to attend the most recent KCC Full County Council.
Although Councillor after Councillor tried to raise the matter of Manston Airport, discussion was disallowed as the Leader Paul Carter had ignored the matter in his address. Councillor Will Scobie challenged the chair on the relevant point of the constitution, but this also was disallowed, though now is a matter for further discussion.
Current question remain, among others concerning why TDC did not reply positively to KCC’s apparent single offer of legal assistance ? This is under investigation by TDC.
Today, 1st April, the Secretary of State for Transport - The Rt. Hon. Patrick McLoughlin - came down to Manston Airport at 1.00 p.m. to meet with Sir Roger Gale and Craig Mackinlay. At very short notice on a week day about 150 people turned out to cheer the unveiling and signing of a 5 point action plan. The Conservatives have firmly nailed their Rosette to the mast, there can be no going back for them ! As Sir Roger said, there is no Plan B.
Patrick McLoughlin, Secretary of State for Transport at Manston Airport 01/04/2015: "
I just wanted to come down today to give you my assurance that we will do all we can to back the campaign and to see Manston being operated again as an airport and we will take the measures that are necessary to do that."
Sir Roger Gale: "
The Prime Minister is behind this, the Department of Transport is behind it, that's why the Secretary of State for Transport is here today, the Department for Business is behind this. We want Manston up and running again, we are determined to achieve it."
Earlier in the week, commenting upon the announcement of new and extended Enterprise Zones, Communities Minister Penny Mordaunt has said: "
….. our planning guidance is clear that aviation is a key driver for economic growth and that local authorities should always consider the role airports play in boosting connections for local people and businesses”.
The current situation is that Mr. Cartner and Mr. Musgrave, who are in charge of the airport, are publishing a whole page advert in two papers. The Save Manston Airport group raised over £1700 over the weekend, to fund a whole page advert as reply, in the Kentish Gazette, and the Supporters of Manston Airport are funding a £500 whole page advert in the KM Extra the following week.
Dr. Beau Webber
Chairman, Save Manston Airport Association.