All designated airports in the UK have to have an airfield
consultative committee as a forum within which airfield issues as
these affect the local community are discussed. This is a legal
obligation under Section 35 of the Civil Aviation Act (1982).

During Committee discussions in the House of Commons, Mr Cranley
Onslow MP proposing this section of the Bill said:

"The real purpose [of airfield consultation] is to safeguard the
rights of people around the aerodrome..... by establishing
machinery which will enable them to be kept informed of what is
happening"; and also that he would like to "see problems
discussed as they arise, with the interests of all concerned
represented and a solution evolved."

The legislation requires all parties to be fairly represented,
there to be a balance between different sectional interests
(airfield operator and users, local councils and local community)
and all affected parties to be represented.

TAG Aviation, the owners and operators of Farnborough Airport,
have refused to establish a committee.

Rushmoor Borough Council, the local planning authority, have
took it upon themselves to establish a committee. Whilst they can
establish any committee they wish, it is not the consultative
committee as required under the Act, as only TAG, as airfield
operators, can establish the committee.

Farnborough Airport was granted a CAA Civil Licence early January.
Wednesday 5 February, Farnborough Airport was officially opened
by Transport Minister John Spellar.

Did Spellar know TAG was in breach of the Civil Aviation Act
by failing to establish a consultative committee?

Did Spellar know no cost benefit analysis had been carried out
for Farnborough?

Did Spellar know no safety study had been carried out for
Farnborough?

Did Spellar know that Rushmoor had yet to meet the terms of a
Consent Order 'to seek independent advice' on the safety issue?

Did Spellar know that he was opening an airport that lacks
planning consent?

Why were the press barred from asking questions? What do Spellar, TAG
and Rushnoor, have to hide?

This is what Section 35 says:

(1) This section applies to any aerodrome which is designated for
the purposes of this section by an Order made by the Secretary of State.

(2) The person having the management of any aerodrome to which
this section applies shall provide -

(a) for users of the aerodrome,

(b) for any local authority (or, if the person having the
management of the aerodrome is a local authority, for any other
local authority) in whose area the aerodrome or any part thereof
is situated or whose area is in the neighbourhood of the aerodrome, and

(c) for any other organisations representing the interests of
persons concerned with the locality in which the aerodrome is situated,

adequate facilities for consultation with respect to any matter
concerning the management or administration of the aerodrome
which affects their interests.

references

Airfield campaigner unhappy with committee, Farnborough Mail, 4
February 2003

Farnborough Airfield Consultative Committee, BVEJ newsletter,
February 2003

Keith Parkins, Farnborough Airfield Judicial Review, UK
Indymedia, 4 February 2002

Keith Parkins, Air show, arms fair or corporate gateway to
Europe?, Corporate Watch newsletter, June-July 2002

Keith Parkins, Air show, arms fair or corporate gateway to
Europe?, Corporate Watch news, 9 July 2002

Keith Parkins, Big Business Jets In, Squall, 18 November 2002

Keith Parkins, Big Business Jets In, Red Pepper, December 2002

Keith Parkins, Farnborough Airfield Consultative Committee, press
release, 22 January 2003

Keith Parkins, Farnborough Airport officially opened, UK
Indymedia, 8 February 2003

web

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