Airport sale proposal rejected by councillors
CORNWALL councillors have opposed plans to sell Cornwall Airport Newquay and for the council to retain a minority stake.
A report regarding a strategic review of the airport commissioned by the council was presented to councillors behind closed doors.
During the confidential session, it is believed that a majority of councillors on the committee voted against or abstained from voting on a proposal from consultants that Cornwall Council should seek to sell the airport and only retain a minority share. It was suggested that many councillors opposed such “privatisation” as it would be unlikely to get support from the full council.
The council’s economic growth and development overview and scrutiny committee had been presented with an item on a strategic airport review. One councillor challenged the decision to take the item in private, but councillors voted to exclude the press and public from the discussion.
Council officers had said that the report should be given and discussed in private because it contained information about financial or business affairs. They had said that, whilst it might be considered to be in the public interest to discuss the item openly, they considered that it would be detrimental to the council if it was to disclose information in the report.
Independent councillor Tim Dwelly had made a point of order at the start of the meeting about the decision to go into “part two” – referring to the private section of the meeting – and challenged officers to justify that decision. He said that, while there might be some information in the report which should be considered confidential, he also felt that the wider report could have been debated in public.
Cllr Dwelly said that it was in the public interest that such a large asset in the council’s ownership should be discussed openly.
He said: “It is a hugely strategic question about whether we sell or part sell the airport. It is an extremely important part of the economy of Cornwall and should be debated in public, in my opinion.”
He added: “I don’t think I have ever seen a report as important as this to be taken entirely in part two. We can’t possibly be talking about the future of the airport and whether it should be sold in private.”
Council officers conceded that it was “unusual” for an entire report to be taken into confidential session but they said that it contained information that was “commercially sensitive” and that disclosing that information would “impact the business of the airport”.
They said that the report was only a preliminary step in a process and would not result in any decisions being taken. Further reports would be presented to councillors in due course.
When the committee came back into public session, the agreed recommendation was that the committee supported moves to maximise the economic impact of the airport and ensure the continuing operation of the airport and that the council should seek to minimise the financial burden of the airport on the Cornish taxpayer.
Cornwall Council has previously said that it would like to reduce the amount of subsidy that the council pays to keep the airport running – last reported to be around £3.5 million a year. It has said that it wants to use more of the land at the airport for business development and is undertaking a review of the whole site.