James Duddridge, MP
House of Commons,
London SW1A 0AA

Dear Mr Duddridge,

Having read reports in the local papers over the last few days confirming your support for the expansion of Southend Airport, I find that there are one or two things that I would like clarified.

I read that you think that the airport employs 1300 people already. With respect, I really think that this estimate is a little wild.

There are indeed many companies surrounding the airport, and these involve a great number of jobs, but the number of employees of the airport itself may number between 50 and 100. The other jobs are with the 50 or so companies which operate around the airport. These companies are mostly involved with jobs pertaining to the aeronautical industry, and they can survive whether the airport is expanded or not. They appear to supply the industry, rather than the airport itself.

Next, to the subject of the possibility of expansion creating another 1 000 jobs, and your “gut feeling” that there would be a great deal more. You may remember that when we met, briefly, at the OPA a couple of months ago, I gave you a copy of the booklet by Brendon Sewill entitled “Airport Jobs: false hopes, cruel hoax”. If I may quote from Mr Sewill – “At Luton some councillors were quoting the 1000 jobs per million passengers until it was pointed out to them that the growth in jobs in the airport in the ten years to 2006 based on the local council’s annual employment survey, had been around 100 jobs per million passengers.”

Another point that you have raised in the Press is that the town’s economy is heavily interwoven with tourism. I submit that although Southend is a seaside town, its sea-front economy has been allowed to run down, particularly with regard to our world-famous pier, which will need a great deal of investment to rejuvenate. As it seems unlikely, then, that people will be flooding into Southend on planes to walk along The Golden Mile’, but extremely likely that people from Southend will be using the airport to take their money out of the local economy to fly abroad, how can you, as a representative of half of the Borough of Southend, so neglect the interests of the local economy by supporting the expansion of Southend Airport?

With regard to the number of jobs expected to be created in the Saxon Business Park, there have been a large number of comments made in response to the second stage of
the consultation which make reference to the fact that since the Joint Area Action Plan coincides with the Hockley Area Action Plan, many of the jobs ‘created’ at Saxon Park will in fact be lost from the Eldon Way development. This will probably not have a huge effect on Rochford or Hockley, although it could increase the traffic on the Hockley Road, but will be a very cruel trick to play on the jobless of Southend, who are confident that increasing the length of the runway will bring them back to full-time employment.

You say that you conducted your own survey of local business people and 62 per cent said that they supported expansion of the airport, with only 13 per cent saying that they opposed it. Is it pertinent to ask which businesses you asked to take part in your survey? Do you have a full record of the results?

I realise that the full effects of expansion of the airport will not be felt as keenly in the east and north of the airport as it will in the west and south-west of the town, but I would like to ask why, since Mr Amess has come out firmly against the extension of the runway, you are so firmly in favour of it.

And just one last point: – we are called SAEN, (STOP AIRPORT EXTENSION NOW). Permission has already been granted for various parts of the expansion of the airport, and our sole purpose is to stop the extension of the runway. We are not against the rejuvenation as such; we ARE against the closure of Eastwoodbury Lane, disguised as a diversion, which will bring more chaos to the A127 by compounding the congestion at the junction of Nestuda Way and the Tesco roundabout; we are against any threat to Eastwood St Laurence church or its environs.

I apologise if there a lot of points to be covered in your reply, but I look forward to hearing your views.

Yours sincerely,

Kiti Theobald (Chairman)

JAMES DUDDRIDGE MP

HOUSE OF COMMONS
LONDON SW1A 0AA

Kiti Theobald
Chairman
Stop Airport Expansion Now
PO Box 5909
Southend On Sea
Essex SS1 1AA

Our ref: RS52447

20th August 2009

Dear Kiti Theobald

Thank you for your most recent letter on behalf of Stop Airport Expansion Now following my comments about the jobs which will be created as a result of the expansion of London Southend Airport.

You question my claim that London Southend Airport employs over 1300 people, and ask on what I base this view. This is a fact that I know to be true from my discussions with Alistair Welch the Managing Director of London Southend Airport. It is also displayed quite clearly on the Home Page of the airports website- “Southend Airport is already “home base” to a wide range of aviation companies, airlines and operators, with more than 1300 people employed across the airport”. This website also states that as a result of the expansion of London Southend Airport over 1000 jobs will be created and I have discussed this matter with Mr Welch as well as other stakeholders.

I further believe, and this view is supported by many local businesses and residents, that the airport expansion will improve both tourism and business to the area, creating more jobs in a variety of sectors. Aside from the expansion of the airport, both Councils have pledged in the Joint Area Action Plan to create a new Business Park which will attract more investment to the area and create more jobs. I am also certain that as a result of the easier access created by the expansion of the airport that large international companies will be attracted to the area, such as Hi-Tech which has moved its head offices to Southend.

It is obviously impossible to state a precise figure of the amount of jobs that will be created by the expansion of the airport and investment in its environs, but taking everything into account, I believe that there is no doubt that many jobs will be created.

I thank you for your letter and appreciate receiving your views on this subject.

Yours sincerely

James Duddridge MP

Mr. James Duddridge MP,
Member for Rochford & Southend East,
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA

Dear Mr. Duddridge,

We are writing of our continuing concerns with matters as they are developing at Southend Airport.

The intentions of the 2003 Government White paper in supporting its expansion were to give an opportunity ’to provide services to meet local demand’ and with the following caveat-

‘…..that its owner and operator Regional Airports Ltd. conducted rigorous studies of local and regional environmental issues- including potential increases in aircraft noise and emissions- as part of any formal development proposal’

The expressed ambition of the operators is ultimately to fly 2million passengers annually which certainly does not satisfy the ‘local demand’ criteria and the only ‘rigorous studies’ conducted here must be within the highly secretive Joint Area Action Plan as sponsored by Southend and Rochford Councils in 2008.

The existence of this Plan received meaningful publicity only in Rochford and policy as to the inherent method of selection of preferred option is completely divergent between both Councils concerning the inclusion of the public in the consultation. Rochford included all and Southend only ‘stakeholders’.

In our view the exercise is fatally flawed and it must be shelved pending an enquiry

The recent acquisition of the airport by Stobart has removed Mr. Walters from the equation but we are not aware of any meaningful attempts by him to fulfil his obligations on environmental issues as described above.

Admittedly, the airport did produce a ‘Noise Map’ in 2006 (a Defra requirement as the basis of a possible ‘Action Plan’ at some time in the future) but even this was formulated from a computer model and not from actual noise measurement, which would seem to be a somewhat pointless exercise.

Mr. Welch continues as Airport managing Director under the new regime and has continually promised to work with all interested parties on mitigation measures but you will note his degree of real interest from our letter to Ms Anna Waite dated 15/12/2008.

The sale to Stobart has made clear the implications of the lack of foresight by Southend Council when deciding to allow private market ownership of a major asset in 1994.

The absence of any covering agreement allowed RAL to deny the Council any profit share or say in the choice of new buyer. Mr. Walters paid a lease premium of £1.00 and has walked away with a minimum of £16million with all the interim infrastructure improvements provided from taxpayer assets with no prospect of recovery.

A freight company which has never owned an airport before now has our 24/7 airport with an ordinary CAA licence enabling night flying.

The lease is the only effective existing local control on airport activity and also sets the basis for production of rental income to the authority. It seems that it can now be passed as an asset from hand to hand without renegotiation to the advantage of residents.

The Council as freeholders appear to have lost effective control of a major local asset into which it has poured and continues to pour huge amounts of taxpayer funds and has also placed elements of the population at serious environmental risk particularly from night flying. This must represent a dereliction of their public duty and seriously weaken the ‘economic driver’ argument.

We have pleasure in enclosing more detailed related correspondence for your perusal as in-

• Letter dated 27/11/08 to Mr Tinlin
• Letter dated 15/12/08 to Anna Waite
• Letter dated 17/12/08 to Mr Tinlin
• Letter dated 19/01/09 from Mr Tinlin
• Letter dated 29/01/09 to Mr Tinlin
• Letter dated 02/02/09 from Mr.Tinlin

It has proven impossible to obtain any meaningful response from Mr. Tinlin or Ms. Waite as you will see and we have been forced to complain formally to the Freedom of Information Commissioner. We are hopeful that you will intercede with both parties on our behalf to obtain specific and detailed answers to all points raised.

We will also be happy to meet with you at your local surgery for a general discussion and await your kind advices.

Yours sincerely

Kiti Theobald (Chairman)