We want to provide information that helps you decide who to vote for, not decide for you. On this page, we tell you who not to vote for based on the assumption that SAEN supporters would not want to vote for someone who supports the runway extension and expansion of Southend Airport.
Details of the elections including the Statements as to Persons Nominated are available on the Southend Borough Council website and the Rochford District Council website.
See TheyWorkForYou.com for the results of the nationwide survey they conducted. The candidates’ responses to the question on Southend Airport included in the local sections for the two constituencies are included below. To date, only Terry Phillips, Barry Bolton, Tom Flynn, Kevin Bonavia, James Moyies and Geoff Strobridge have responded.
Tory Central Office has apparently issued a cut-and-paste statement rejecting the survey for their candidates to use, saying that it can’t “capture the nuances of party policies”.
We leave you to form your own opinions of candidates who can’t be bothered to answer their electors’ questions.
General Election
Southend West
- David Anthony Andrew Amess – Conservative
Wanted Public Inquiry into runway extension; wants safeguards for residents. Has not mentioned the airport in his election leaflet. - Peter Welch – Liberal Democrat
Opposes runway extension - Tom Flynn – Labour
Supports runway extension and says in TheyWorkForYou survey: “I have publicly supported expansion in order to boost the Southend economy – but only if there are no night flights and the necessary improvements to infrastructure (roads etc) are undertaken” - Barry George Bolton – Green Party
Opposes all airport expansion. In the TheyWorkForYou survey, he says: “This plan will blight homes in Southend and bring little benefit. More planes from bigger airports is not a good way to manage air travel and its many problems” - Dr Vel – Independent
Unknown - Garry Lee Cockrill – UKIP
Unknown - Tony Gladwin – BNP
Unknown - Terry Phillips – English Democrats
Supports runway extension and says in TheyWorkForYou survey: “I believe that the airport will bring industry to southend. My only concern is the NIGHT flights. This will need the same restrictions as in place at london city airport. then it will work”
Rochford & Southend East
- James Duddridge – Conservative
Supports runway extension, describing it as “a golden opportunity for Rochford and Southend”. Says “he will continue to fight hard for the urgent completion of the project”. - Graham Edwin Longley – Liberal Democrat
Wanted more scrutiny of decision but supports runway extension - Kevin Andrew Martin Bonavia – Labour
Supports runway extension. Labour haven’t even mentioned the airport on their election leaflets! * In response to the TheyWorkForYou survey, he says “Southend Aiport’s development will help bring more jobs and indirectly support local businesses. But there should be no night flights as per other airports its size.” - Andrew John Vaughan – Green Party
Opposes all airport expansion - Anthony Brian Chytry – Independent
Called for referendum on airport; hasn’t made his own views known - James William Moyies – UKIP
Supports the runway extension. - Geoff Strobridge – BNP
Claims neutrality and says – this is a direct quote from his survey response for TheyWorkForYou – “The decision has already been made, so we are buggerd! We got to do the best we can, because it’s going to happen.”
Local Election
The official Statement of Persons Nominated is available on the Southend Borough Council website. Further details of the local elections will be available on this page shortly.
Development Control Committee
Below is shown the way members of the DCC voted in January. Names in italics are those councillors who are up for re-election.
Voted for runway extension:
- Brian Kelly – Conservative
- Daphne White – Conservative
- Elizabeth Day – Conservative
- Ann Robertson – Conservative
- Gwen Horrigan – Conservative
- Richard Brown – Conservative
- Jonathan Garston – Conservative
- Roger Hadley – Conservative
- Stephen Habermel – Conservative
- Ron Woodley – Independent
- Mike Assenheim – Independent
- Mike Royston – Labour
- David Norman – Labour
- Ted Lewin – Liberal Democrat
Voted against runway extension:
- Barry Godwin – Liberal Democrat
- Jim Clinkscales – Liberal Democrat
- Mike Grimwade – Liberal Democrat
The conclusion to be drawn from this is that you can’t vote Conservative, Labour or for Ted Lewin in the local elections.
On the subject of Mr Lewin, a local resident has been in touch to share his door-to-door canvassing patter:
We had a very interesting conversation with Ted Lewin last night on our doorstep. We told him how disappointed and let down we were that he had voted yes to the airport expansion at the planning meeting. Ted’s answer was it’s better than having a Gypsy site or a Camp for Illegal Immigrants there, which he implied were the other options open to us if the airport didn’t go ahead!
As the airport has a 150-year lease as an airport, it seems unlikely that it will become a Gypsy site or camp for illegal immigrants any time before the year 2144.
If there are any errors in the above, electoral candidates are welcome to contact election@saen.org.uk with corrections. Anyone with a copy of election literature that spells out a candidate’s position on the airport, please scan it and send it to the same address.
How can i help,i was unaware of this organization and will lend my support in anyway i can.I cant believe mike Royston voted for the extension he lives opposite me and i duly pointed out that our peace is constantly shattered by private light aircraft during the summer months,and did he not realize this will turn into bloody great big jets.Not only this but like other airports they would constantly circle round waiting to land .An eyebrow was raised as he has commented on noise before.What infuriates more is how is he qualified to make such decisions without a public inquiry.I said by your vote you have effectively devalued your property and mine.
regards steve Bates
David Carrington writes:
* David has claimed that the airport is mentioned on the Labour election literature. However, neither the “Southend Deserves Better!” leaflet (for Kursaal, Victoria, St Lukes and Milton wards) nor the “Elect Kevin Bonavia” flyer makes any mention of the airport.
I live in Highlands Boulevard and consequently I’m extremely concerned over this airport expansion. It’s got to be worth voting Lib-Dem on this one issue alone and I for one will be doing just that.
I’ll be sending a donation to the war chest and if there’s anything else I can do to support this campaign please let me know.
Denis,
Thanks for quoting my email, however I would like to clear up a couple of points relating to your comments.
The “Southend Deserves Better” manifesto does mention the airport. David Norman’s foreword makes the position clear, saying “Labour will… Support the expansion of the airport in a way that brings well-paid jobs to Southend”. Page Four of the manifesto also makes this commitment clear, as you can see from this link: http://www.rselabour.com/uploads/1aa11f1f-1da5-b4f4-b1e8-ea3d0ccc2d75.
Candidates from all parties have sent out more than one leaflet during the campaign and it’s not always possible to address all the issues on every leaflet. However, Tom Flynn and Kevin Bonavia have been clear from a very early stage what their stance is with regards to the airport and there has been no attempt to sidestep the issue.
You may disagree with them on this issue, but it is incorrect and unfair to insinuate that they have not been open about their stance.
David,
As a constituent of Rochford and Southend East, I have received two election leaflets from Labour. Neither has mentioned the airport. The wording of the page has now been altered to clarify this point.
I’m sure it won’t distract readers from the main issue, which is that in Rochford and Southend East, constituents are being let down by all three of the ‘mainstream’ parties. Duddridge talks of “golden opportunities”, Longley says that “expansion should be for everyones benefit and not at residents discomfort” and Bonavia is talking of “indirectly support[ing] local businesses”.
None of them acknowledge the current rises in fuel prices and the undeniable fact that we’re reaching the peak of oil production. Inevitably, this will lead to the medium-term dramatic contraction and eventual demise of the aviation industry. Of course, these are not comfortable warm, fluffy topics for electioneering but to ignore them is grossly irresponsible. We could be preparing to do something about this and creating large numbers of jobs in the process instead of pushing “business as usual” until it falls off a cliff.
Some honesty from our candidates would be refreshing.
Its crazy to even think of turning an aifield into an airport on the scale proposed anyone
can clearly see how built up the area is now. The health of our children and the residents not only living in the close vicinity but further afield who possibly think they are unaffected will be. We live about 200 yards from the taxi way and not much further from the runway, the smell of the fuel somedays is unbearable and some aircraft ae so noisy the glasses on the unit jingle as they take off. We have lived here 18 years and have lived with the airport as it is and that is o.k. Stobart has money and money talks. He is not affected by this in the way the residents are. Maybe he would like to buy our house then he can be near his baby. As for jobs i was told that the station and the new control tower is being built by Mr Stobarts own companies or at least not by many local people needing employment.how many from this area were employed I would like to know if that statement is true !! I dont suspect for one moment it will increase jobs for LOCAL people. Some people say why buy a house when you knew the airport was there ,searches did not reveal plans for an airport on the scale proposed and I would say to them you bought a house when you knew there was a road outside but if it was then turned into the M1 would you object. Maybe the people who are for this project so much would like a recording of the noise and played back outside there houses at 1 ocklock in the morning or every 5 mins when they are sitting in their gardens on a sunny day .
I see the campaign group’s biggest convern appears to be lower house prices. How utterly selfish. Lower housing costs would be welcomed by many people, particularly the young. My sympathy for your cause is gone.
House prices are certainly not SAEN’s greatest concern, but they are a definite consideration for some people.
Of course lower house prices are a good thing for many others. The way to get them is not by ruining people’s lives and destroying the environment though.
See Southend Standard. Nigel Holdcroft 30th Apr “Without wishing to pre-empt any decision, from my discussions with the airport it says if we try to impose a night-time ban, the airport will become inoperable because of business plans and their arangements with the contractors”.
Tough!
So although the full council will vote on night flights cap I think it is another done deal! This goes against his previous statements of course that IF the runway extension was vote for and IF it went ahead night time flying would be severely restricted. The Lease has yet to be signed – however lets face it Stobart would not be spending millions on it and Southend Council putting money into it too (oh yes they have) if it was not a total done deal.
Hi,
Got your “Use your vote wisely” leaflet tonight through the door (Theobalds Rd). Thanks, I wasn’t sure who to vote for in the local elections but have now made my mind up. Why is Southend Council always letting its citizens down?It seems to get some sort of perverse enjoyment out of it.
Best regards,
Gail
A very useful website, you have now helped me make up my mind, I will be voting Lib Dem.
The shear fact that Amess has not mentioned the airport appears sinister to me.
Many thanks
Robin
I have not had any councilors who ageed the expansion calling at my door,clearly they could not take the confrontation of the facts and didn’t want to have to be held accountable to the people most affected. The issue of more jobs I don’t think for one moment they will be for many local people. I was told the new bridge and control tower where built by stobarts subsidery companies,( not confirmed). If there were no existing airfield on this space and plans were now put forward to build an airport it would be thrown out, too built up., just because there is a small airfield dosn’t mean to say you can try and expand it to the proportions proposed., trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear. The noise of the planes seems to be louder and more frequent since the government gave the go ahead, now they can do as they like. I do not think people realise the impact this will have on everyone. Why should we be forced from our homes it has taken a lifetime to create. The parties agreeing to this expansion will not mind if I stand outside their houses at 1 and 4 oclk onward in the morning and every 5 mins in the peak season with a loud speaker, but i can’t recreate the overpowering smell of fuel when in our garden. This proposal will be hell for local residents, the health of our children,the conjestion, the gas emissions, while the governemnt state they are making sure and commited to reducing it, clearly an untruth as they have given the go ahead without a public enquiry. People may say Why buy a house near an airport,as it is at the moment we are o.k . Id say to them why buy a house when you knew there was a road outside but if they turned it into the M1 wouldn’t you object.
conserative fools, stobart only want bigger and bigger planes for freight on night flights. they are a transport company for gods sake