From: Peter Monk, Oakleigh Park Drive, Leigh.
So, Theo Steel feels the need to bend the ear of the Secretary of State (LEIGH TIMES Feb 9) on behalf of the council of this town to fast track (no pun intended) a decision in favour of an extended runway at the Airport.
He states “The issues raised by the application have been properly and adequately addressed by the council in reaching their decision.” Is it for him to decide in this case what is proper and adequate?
However, putting that aside, it would appear that many people in this town, including the MP for Southend West, David Amess, do not share Mr Steel’s confident view on the matter.
It would seem that there are numerous council tax payers of Southend who oppose the airport runway extension for the many reasons that have been stated through, this and other papers and by their response to the JAAP report and direct correspondence to the council and its planning committee.
There were, I believe, in both cases more objections from the residents of this borough than there were those in favour. [Indeed - roughly 75% have opposed the runway extension at each stage.] Therefore it would seem only right that following the council’s planning committee decision to be in favour of the runway extension that a public inquiry by the Secretary of State is most essential.
There have been those who feel that the whole affair from its conception was a ‘done deal’, myself included. There are so many who are far from happy in the way that the whole procedure has been dealt with by this council. Therefore to show that everything has been handled in a proper and adequate fashion and to alleviate any fears of unseemly behaviour, I feel that a public inquiry is vital.
I would have thought that a man like Theo Steel, who sits on so many high profile committees and also is chair of Renaissance Southend, would have welcomed such a public inquiry, which will confirm, regardless of the outcome, that there was fairness and transparency shown by Southend Council, and the owners of the airport throughout. For without such, any ‘renaissance’ is meaningless.