"Leaders proposals do not go far enough" says Southend LibDem leader Cllr Graham Longley (Southend Liberal Democrats)

Southend Liberal Democrats <info@southendlibdems.co.uk>

"Leaders proposals do not go far enough" says Southend LibDem leader Cllr Graham Longley

October 10, 2009 11:00 AM

Proposals announced today by Southend Council Leader claiming to have "acted on residents Airport concerns" and resulting in an agreed approach between the Tory Southend & Rochford Council and the Airport to the extension of the Airport runway do not go far enough and fail to answer the many concerns over problems that expansion will bring, says Cllr Graham Longley, Leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition on Southend Council.

The proposals agreed jointly by Southend's Conservative administration and Rochford Council, which see a range of negotiated new measures which include details on the number and timings of flights, the movement and quota of aircraft, night time movements, passenger and cargo levels, noise limits and route direction stops short of the answers to the questions put forward by the LibDems.

"The proposals today" said Cllr Longley, "fail to answer significant questions to which we need answers to before we support any proposals. The document fails to answer questions of road congestion and traffic management, the way in which Eastwoodbury Lane will be dealt with, environmental concerns and greenhouse gas pollution"

"How can the public test the Tories claim to have "listened to residents concerns" when the results of the consultation have yet to be published. It is quite scandalous and undemocratic to pre-empt a possible public enquiry and try to steamroller the residents into agreeing with proposals without having looked at all the ramifications that will greatly affect them".

With a planning application to extend the runway due in any day it is highly likely that the public will see the proposals agreed by the airport as a way of ensuring the planning application is viewed favourably.

"This is not the way to do business" says Cllr Longley. "The public must have no doubt that if proposals come forward to planning then they are considered on their merits, not because of a set of measures designed to persuade the members of the committee.

The Tories press release may suggest more negotiation is to take place to answer further questions but the picture has to be looked at as a whole not in bits when it comes to making this important decision said Cllr Longley. Liberal Democrats will continue to oppose any expansion until all their questions have been answered."