Airport meeting ends with £2.1m offer from Uttlesford DC for their “unreasonableness” and Motion of Censure

At a specially convened meeting of the full council on Thursday, October 13, Uttlesford District councillors discussed two major failures of the Council that had resulted in wasteful expenditure in excess of £5 million! These included an avoidable costs penalty of £ 2.1 million payable to Stansted Airport for acting unreasonably during the planning appeal and £3.5m spent on the stalled local plan!

The meeting ended with the Council passing a "Motion of Censure" that stated that the administration had failed local residents. (see separate press release).

"The council was found to have acted unreasonably in its defence of Stansted Airport's appeal against the Planning Committee's decision to refuse the airport's expansion", said Cllr Fairhurst. "From the outset, it was crystal clear to some members that the legal defence team was heading straight for disaster. Not only was the Planning Committee's decision to refuse re-engineered by officers to become a decision to approve with conditions, but councillors were kept in the dark about the defence strategy despite their persistent requests to be informed".

The so-called R4U resident's administration has refused to acknowledge that they were in the wrong and refused to accept the fact that had they vigorously defended the decision to refuse planning permission,then penalty costs for unreasonableness would not have been awarded against UDC.

Councillors were told they were not legally permitted to speak at the appeal hearing, yet the Inspectors gave this as a reason for awarding the penalty costs.

"I watched the appeal inquiry every day", said Cllr Vere Isham (Takeley) "with deepening despair at how the UDC defence was being soundly trounced by Stansted Airport's QC".

"I could not believe my eyes and ears", added Cllr Loughlin (Stort Valley). "As a long-standing member of the Planning Committee, I had never before seen one of our legitimate decisions being overturned by officers. This issue was so important for the district that I thought at least our decision would stand and we would be involved in the appeal".

Cllr Khan (Stansted South and Birchanger) said "The common thread that runs through both the Stansted costs appeal and the local plan is yet again a failure of governance and oversight by the leadership of R4U. Their reckless approach has cost every single hard working council tax payer in the district at a time when the cost of living crisis means every penny is important. The £2m could have been used to support services for people in need in the district."Cllr Khan (Stansted South and Birchanger) said "The common thread that runs through both the Stansted costs appeal and the local plan is yet again a failure of governance and oversight by the leadership of R4U. Their reckless approach has cost every single hard working council tax payer in the district at a time when the cost of living crisis means every penny is important. The £2m could have been used to support services for people in need in the district."