In seeking permission, the airport has capitalised on its role as a prime creator of local jobs - an issue that has played well with the local council. Some 2,000 people currently work at the airport, 70pc of whom live within a five-mile radius. The airport reckons the extra flights could create 1,000 new jobs.
- Interesting because the airport confirmed to Stephen Timms MP just a few weeks ago that they directly employed just 406 staff! Now who is telling porkies??
- Interesting because: the airport has consistently failed, and breached the section 106 in reporting the annual employment figures to the London Borough of Newham, despite it being a requirement of the last planning approval. Newham didn't even have the employment figures just a few weeks ago and those issued are felt to be flawed.
- Interesting because in a letter to MP Stephen Timms - Richard Gooding CEO was unable to identify how many directly employed airport staff lived in Newham, nor how many of them were part time.
- Interesting because, the spokesperson, was asked to confirm or deny the 18 alleged directly employed lca redundancies last week - and surprise, surprise the airport has ignored the request to date.
- Interesting because the airport does not employ 2,000 people directly at all, another manipulation of words to purposely mislead the reader it seems.
- Interesting because most of the data that LCA use in their application to expand flights is estimated, and flawed and unreliable.
- Interesting because it appears they have even failed to carry out the noise mitigation programme to households within the time set by the council in the section 106...whoops another breach!
Funny how they also left out the little issue of them completely abusing the section 106 for all these years, that they are too incompetent to run a noise and flight track system, or keep an up to date personnel file on the staff figures to name just a few. But what is even more entertaining is the fact that GOL are currently looking at the flawed case report in consideration for a possible call in to the Secretary of State and they didn't mention that either.
They will try to deny these breaches - but its too late: LB Newham have admitted that the conditions have been breached, and that London City Airport have not provided the data legally required in the section 106 despite requests by the council. Oh dear.
It must really hurt when they come back down to earth.
