by COUN PETER WEXHAM
Lib Dem Councillor for Leigh

WHEN talking about football Jimmy Greaves used to say: “It’s a funny old game”.

Well, I am coming to the same conclusion about politics. People say to me they did not vote Lib-Dem to get a Tory Goverment to which I say “Nor did I.”

But it was the result that the people over the whole country gave to the MPs. Labour could not form a Government even with Uncle Tom Cobley and all.

This comes a bit hard for me having spent my whole life fighting against the Conservatives and what they stand for.

However, I do believe politicians should all try to work together for the residents we were elected to support and represent.

Now, for example, I find I am working with Conservative MP David Amess over the airport extension and the night fights we, in Leigh, will have to put up with when every other airport is closed at night.

It will be open house at Southend for late and unscheduled flights coming in from Europe to the south east of England.

The Lib-Dem Minister at the Department for Transport has written saying that once the decision was made by Labour not to have a public inquiry the incoming Coalition Government cannot overturn it – although both parties in the Coalition have a policy of no more airport expansion in the south east corner of the country.

So now the fight is being taken forward by the environmental groups and local residents applying to the courts for a judicial review.

David Amess has a petition on his website, which I have signed, in an attempt to get some action from Europe.

We are both fighting the ‘Barmy Bunch’ on Southend Council that ignore the residents. Didn’t someone say something about the ‘Big Society’ and devolving power to the people?

Yes, it is a funny old game, Jimmy.

On Leigh issues I am getting a lot of replies about drinking in a public place and the Leigh Times even published a letter from that prominent BBC personality, Richard Baker who is against any such changes – but I think the young people drinking on the Cliffs now are a very different bunch to the Westcliff High School boys of yesteryear he talks about, when antisocial behaviour and vandalism by large gatherings of youngsters had not been invented.

I have tried to get the law enforced of infringing on the highway – tables and chairs cluttering the pavements which is supposed to be against the law.

In days gone by the law was enforced, and a council officer was there in no time. I can remember having to get a delivery of sand and paving slabs off the highway by nightfall or face prosecution.

The inspector who issued the warning would come back to make sure the highway was clear. You just could not block the pavement.

The council now want to control what is put on the footpath by charging businesses to do so. That’s not enforcement, it is another money making scheme.

I remember this being introduced in Southend High Street and seafront areas – but now it is town-wide or is it?

Yes, you guessed right – it does not apply to Thorpe Bay Broadway where they closed down a shop that dared to sell tea and cakes on the pavement. But Leigh is now designated as part of the night time economy of the town.

But there is no extra money for the police to look after the problems in Leigh and the residents who live in the side roads off the Broadway/Leigh Road, Old Leigh and the London Road.

They have to put up with the noise and worse into the early hours – whereas the letter writer, Richard Baker, forgets that the pubs used to shut at 10pm.

Now, thanks to Tony Blair we are lucky that they shut by 2am and their licence could allow them to open all night as we are deemed part of the night time economy.

SAEN Ltd is aware that an application for permission to apply for a Judicial Review is being lodged with the High Court.

The claimant is a local resident SAEN member highly concerned at the decision by Southend Borough Council to grant planning permission for an extended runway and has the full support of the campaign group.

There is particular concern over the potential impact of night flights and despite assurances to the contrary, they believe that the new mitigation measures are insufficient to avoid widespread distress.

The economic argument for additional jobs has never been substantiated and is uncertain at best. What is certain, however, is that there will be extra noise and pollution for an area already one of the most congested and densely populated in the United Kingdom.

“We had no choice, but to go to court,” said SAEN director, Graham Whitehead. “Both Southend and Rochford councils have shown total disregard for the interests of their residents and this should never have been approved by the Development Control Committee.

“The Council took the decision against he will of the vast majority of the people who responded to the consultation.

“We believe that the planning permission process was legally flawed and we are confident that the Court will find in our favour.”

Brussels’ advice on a new petition

SINCE my last Political Viewpoint article appeared in this newspaper – a General Election has taken place and a new government has been elected.

During my time in Parliament, there has been a marked contrast in what I was able to achieve locally between 1983 and 1997 compared to what I have achieved since.

There is no doubt in my mind that this was primarily due to having a Labour Government for the last 13 years who shifted resources from areas such as ours to the Midlands and the North.

I am now absolutely determined to change that and am immediately acting on a number of commitments I gave during the General Election campaign.

For example, I have always believed that Southend should be involved in the 2012 London Olympics. Another of them was regarding the proposed expansion of Southend Airport.

The irony is that if we had had the present Government at the time the council’s committee met to consider planning permission, I do not believe the result would have been the same.

I always felt that the fairest way to deal with such a contentious issue was to have a Public Inquiry and allow all voices to be heard.

The Labour Secretary of State dismissed that option. However, before the General Election I visited Brussels and explored with the Office of the European Commissioner, dealing with the environment and pollution generally, what assistance he might give local residents who were concerned about the proposed expansion.

It was suggested that a petition could be launched to the Parliament regarding the proposed expansion in terms of the effects on the local environment and pollution.

This petition has now been launched and if any resident would like a copy of it or would like to sign it they can download it from our website or collect a form from Iveagh Hall, 67 Leigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea.

THE plans to expand Southend Airport are currently under threat from two fronts.

Campaigners belonging to the protest group, Stop Airport Expansion [Extension] Now (SAEN) have applied for a judicial review of Southend Council’s decision to approve the airport expansion plan – and if they are successful the issue would be referred to the High Court.

But first, the application must go before a judge to decide whether a case for referral is justified.

The group has also applied for legal aid to help pay for the review, although funds have already been raised as part of the campaign.

The second threat comes from a separate campaign by Southend West MP David Amess, who has launched a petition to the European Commission calling for a public inquiry.

He believes a public inquiry is necessary to give all voices the opportunity to express their views.

Mr Amess told Parliament just before the recess: “Under the present Coalition Government approval would probably not thane been given.”

His views are not in accord with his Conservative colleagues on Southend Council who want to see the expansion go ahead.

The airport itself is pushing ahead with its plans and has built a new rail station, control tower and has released plans for a new hotel on the site.

The council has also approved plans for the runway extension, work on which could start any time now.

THE issue of the expansion of Southend Airport has been dominating the local election campaign in Southend West.

Any suggestion that it was [a] ‘dead issue’ now that the Communities Secretary, John Denham had said he wasn’t going to stand in the way of the expansion and leave it to Southend Council to make the final decision have been dashed with the Tory administration facing a barrage of criticism from opposition parties eager to make capital over the issue.

Leading this campaign has been Coun Graham Longley, leader of the Lib Dem group on Southend Council, who represents Blenheim ward, but is also standing as the party’s parliamentary candidate in neighbouring Rochford and Southend East.

He led the fight originally to get the full Southend Council to consider the planning application for the runway extension instead of leaving it to the 17 members of the development control committee.

He was defeated by the Tories on this, but has returned to the fight with a call for partial closure of the airport at night at a council scrutiny commitee.

Closures

Two possibilities put forward by Coun Graham Longley ere for closures between 1am to 4am or from 2am to 5am.

He was quoted as saying: “Night closure for a period of time would give the residents an assurance they would get at least a period of undisturbed sleep.”

Coun Nigel Holdcroft, leader of Southend Council, agreed that the full council should have a say on this issue.

He felt this would reassure residents who were upset that the decision to extend the runway was decided by only the 17 members of the development control committee.

It is understood, though, that the airport wold not be in favour of any partial night-time closure because it would make the airport inoperable and was contrary to their business plans and arrangements with contractors.

The Tories were again pressed on this issue at the last full council meeting before the elections when it was agreed that all councillors will get the opportunity to debate placing restrictions on night flights when a new lease is negotiated.

But the debate will not take place until after the election.

Coun David Norman, leader of the Labour group, who lives in Leigh, but represents Victoria ward said he was happy to support Coun Longley’s motion.

But Leigh Lib Dem Coun Peter Wexham, told the full council: “It seems to me this has been kicked into the long grass to get the election out of the way.”

The airport expansion has become a major issue in West Leigh and Belfairs wards, concern also being expressed in Blenheim.

The Independent group have circulated a leaflet from their candidate, Christine Hills in West Leigh ward in which they say the original motion sought to introduce a limited ban on night flying – but that the Tory leader, Coun Nigel Holdcroft, defending his seat in West Leigh, had described it as ‘disgusting’ because opponents were playing party political games.

Christine Hills said she supported the airport – “but I see no problem with having detailed discussions that may help to protect and reassure concerned local residents.”

Voted

She says in her leaflet that the Conservatives had voted unanimously in the scrutiny committee against the original opposition motion on a limited ban on night flying.

“I think this situation is unacceptable and deserves a vote of ‘no confidence’ in the Conservatives at this year’s elections,” her leaflet said.

But Coun Nigel Holdcroft, leader of the council, who is defending his seat in West Leigh, has explained that once the planning application was out of the way, the expansion of the airport’s business always had to come back to the council for the renegotiation of the lease.

“There will now be a full debate in full council in which all 51 councillors will be able to have their say on the application for the variation of the lease, which will give them the opportunity to raise the night flying issue,” he said.

“I have made it clear that the Cabinet will not be making a recommendation and will honour whatever decision the full council makes. I would also like to make it clear that councillors will not have to worry about not being eligible to speak and vote on the issue if they have already made their views known on the airport.”

Views

“Under Government legislation councillors are not allowed to speak or vote on planning issues if they have made their views known publicly beforehand.”

Coun Holdcroft said it would not have been possible to have had the debate before the election. “There just was not the time,” he said.

The airport is also turning out to be a major issue in the Belfairs ward, where Coun Mrs Fay Evans is seeking to defend her council seat for the Tories.

She has been criticised for her stance on the airport, and for claiming ‘there will be no night flights over Leigh’.

Local resident Ted Clarke told this newspaper: “This conclusion appears to have been reached after reading and weighing up all of the facts – and is entirely wrong.

“I must ask her to re-read the airport draft ‘Noise Action Plan’ and the attendant Section 106 Agreement reflecting the basis of the mitigation proposals.

“The monthly night ‘cap’ of 120 has numerous exceptions both for fixed wing and rotary aircraft and most seriously for Quota Count Exempt aircraft. Such craft can be jet powered and weighing around 11 tonnes many variants can be converted from passenger to freight pallet loads. These aircraft emit around 85 decibels on certification and will be also allowed to fly without restriction during night hours.

Runway

“The ‘runway preference routing’ is subject to wind, weather and general safety factors at any one time and the operators need only point to these qualifiers when faced with future complaints.

“The night-time hours are supposed to start at 11pm – except they don’t. Three passenger jets can land within the next 30 minutes.

“In short, these proposals do not represent any real improvements over the current position – they are just wearing a different suit of clothes.”

Coun Mrs Evans says in her election leaflet: ‘The Secretary of State’s decision not to intervene justifies Southend Conservatives’ insistence that any expansion should be linked to tough environmental controls including very tight new noise levels, severe restrictions on night flights, on overall flight numbers and freight, and rules requiring increased flights in and out [of] Rochford rather than Southend – particularly at night.”