Councillors’ silence on Airshow axe
While disappointment and recrimination smoulder over the wreckage of the crashed 2020 Scottish International Air Show – it’s heartening to see our elected councillors are putting on their own show of aeronautical excellence.
It’s like that part of the Red Arrows display where the aircraft stick to a tight configuration . . . while a solo flyer steals the limelight with a seemingly impossible stunt.
All last week, our councillors flew in a strict code of silence formation – barred from talking to the media about anything to do with the illfated air show.
So who demanded the role as the singleton stunt pilot?
Step forward our own Group Captain Douglas Campbell – call sign Wargamer – who decided to state SAC’s case to a Facebook news live cam . . . probably to redress the embarrassment of the air show’s organisers getting there before him!
The result was, to quote one viewer “not so much a car crash – more a mid- air collision”.
I would love to have been in the office of SAC’s “Top Gun”, Eileen Howat during the live screening.
I bet it “took her breath away” as well!
Meanwhile, I still don’t know who has the authority – never mind the temerity – to instruct an entire elected body not to talk to the press?
And why so many, intelligent, free- thinking public representatives would be daft enough to adhere to it?
Having heard there was a groundswell of support to save the air show among councillors, I put this media ban to the test.
I e- mailed every single South Ayrshire councillor with a simple question.
“Are you in favour of SAC opening fresh negotiations with TSIA with a view to safeguarding the future of the Scottish International Air Show in South Ayrshire?”
All I asked of all 28 councillors was a basic “yes” or “no”.
And I got just TWO replies! Well done to Peter Convery, the long- serving Troon Tory who sent back – “Bob, thank you for asking. Given what I’ve heard so far – ‘ No’ My only other response was an automated reply from Maybole’s Conservative Iain Campbell which stated: “Thanks for your e- mail. I am out of the office during February and have no access to my e- mails”.
Oh well. I hear New Zealand is very nice at this time of year!
While the rest of our “open, transparent and always available” councillors sit with their mouths closed to an issue worth millions of pounds to South Ayrshire – a social media poll show 87% of locals want to air show to stay.
With the 2020 event crashed and burning on the runway – it’ll probably take a miracle to put it back together.
But the air show could easily be saved for future years – giving a willingness from SAC to support TSIA.
And with both sides about 50,000 flying hours apart, that won’t be easy.
Our new Westminster MP Allan Dorans has kindly taken up the challenge to mediate.
I understand he was due to attend an SNP group meeting earlier this week.
And I hope his opening words were “What the flying fox are you lot playing at?”
A second offer of help has come from Michael Warr OBE, a seasoned administrator who specialises in project disputes and arbitration. I understand he has looked at the possibility of a “crowd funding” plan to finance the air show – and come up with positive results. If crowd funding is to be the way forward - the TSIA can look forward to this column’s support.
But the next positive move has to come from South Ayrshire Council itself.
They’ve slammed the door on the air show organisers.
Unless they re- open it – any air show will be hard to get off the ground.
But they have plenty of options – including taking the event “in house” with the air show expertise retained on contract.
The one certainty in this whole sorry mess is that the South Ayrshire public – and many within South
Ayrshire Council - are very angry indeed.
And if Douglas Campbell won’t fix it - he’s one step nearer that ejector seat.
I don’t know who has the authority to instruct an entire elected body not to talk to the press