Sunday 11 September 2022

Conflict of Interest

 A brief history of the South Thanet MP, Craig Mackinlay

Craig was born in North Kent on the 7th of October 1966 and stood for Parliament 1st in 1992 as an Independent and failed. He then joined the United Kingdon Independent Party (UKIP) and stood as Parliamentary candidate in 1997, 2001 and 2005 losing each time.

He then defected to the Tories in 2007 finally standing and winning in a hard-fought battle with Nigel Farage (then leader of UKIP) in 2015. He has kept the seat twice since in 2017 and 2019.

So why do we have a conflict of Interest.

To summarise: -

The rules on the registration of shareholdings require Members to register a shareholding if the Member's shares exceed 15% of the total shares issued or have a value of more than £70,000. Although the company had never traded and the shares were of only nominal value, the Member held in excess of 15% of the total and he was therefore required to include this interest in the Register of Members' Interests within one month of his election in 2015.

Why we have this rule in Parliament

“To provide information of any pecuniary interest or other material benefit which a Member receives which might reasonably be thought by others to influence his or her action, speeches or votes in Parliament, or actions taken in his or her capacity as a Member of Parliament”.

His excuse was: -

I am conversant with the rules for the registration of interests. I note under Threshold for Registration, paragraph 51(i) and (ii), clarified under paragraph 54 that these are not (i) and (ii) requirements, but are (i) or (ii) requirements. On the face of it, my shareholding - amount to 2 shares of 1 penny, being the entire issued share capital of the company would suggest a requirement to register under 51(i), however this would be a construction of the absurd in this instance. The company was formed on 4 April 2001 when I was pursuing, with outer, the potential for a low-cost airline operation. The idea progressed to a moderately advanced stage but literally fell apart, never to be resurrected again following the events of 9/11 in 2001, whereby for obvious reasons, interest in a new airline literally ceased in its tracks.

In the event Craig apologised for inadvertently misleading the house on 3 separate occasions. The 1st during his maiden speech to Parliament on the 28/5/2015 when he said


The 2nd was on 11/6/2015 when he responded as follows

That meeting then went ahead with the North Thanet MP Roger Gale

The 3rd took place on the 7/2/2018 as follows: -

As an aside to this support of Manston which takes the form of lobbying for Riveroak Strategic Partners (RSP), ostensibly on behalf of the people living in South Thanet, it does seem from a statement made during a fundraising BBQ for the Save Manston Airport Association (SMAa)

"We all remember that the DCO would have trumped whatever happened on that local plan, but the fear would have been that it had been re-designated away from aviation, it would have instantly inflated the value possibly to unacceptable standards in the future. That was my great worry, and we're out of that, so as Tony said, the EC4 designation of the airport (the old designation), while we have no local plan, still stays the same and is very powerful."

In other words, as the land at that stage was owned by Stone Hill Park, should RSP be in a position at a later stage to buy the 720 acres it may have cost RSP far more to purchase had it been designated mixed use.

The apology to the house took this form on the 20/6/2018

Craig's apology statement to his colleagues includes the words "It was an idea of its day (incorporated April 2001) and, following the tragedy of 9/11, it never came to anything, and plans ceased"

On the face of it one might wonder why a qualified accountant would keep a dormant company (4193829) on the books of Companies House for 17 years (now 21 years) with all the associated costs involved.
The company was set up in April 2001 with the following designations
51101: Scheduled air passenger transport
51102: Non-scheduled air passenger transport
51210: Freight air transport

In other words, mimicking the, at that time, the business plans of Wiggins, the owners of Manston under the control of Anthony Freudmann CEO.

Imagine my surprise when an archive Google search brought up the following link
This clearly indicates that far from "plans ceased" after September 2001 flights to Malaga were still being discussed. Further this comment includes a link to a website advertising MAMA Airlines which no longer exists however using "wayback" it shows the website still being active until December 2002

Clearly it states the following "London's newest airline will put the quality back into air travel with flights from the Southeast to Europe starting Spring 2003"

Maybe Craig just forgot however there could be an alternate reason. Manston as has been pointed out was run by Antony Freudmann on behalf of Wiggins. His CV is here 

He states that "Tony Freudmann also had the following to say regarding personal accusations thrown at him “I was responsible for Manston’s conversion to a civilian airport, building it up as a cargo airport and then being ‘let go’ when I protested that the EUJet plan made no economic sense.”

He ran Kent International from 1999-2005 during the time Craig intended to run MAMA Airlines Ltd so it isn't beyond the wit of man to think they worked together and of course despite the terrorist attack on the 11th of September 2001 Kent International didn't stop running flights.

What is clear is that there is a longstanding business link between Freudmann and Mackinlay dating back to at least 2001 and this Craig confirms during another fundraiser for SMAa on the 21st of July 2019 when during a speech he made the following statement,

"Well I’m sorry this is going to be the start of the regeneration and the renaissance of East Kent, particularly Thanet and that is why I’m so excited. I’ve been working with Tony (Freudmann) for many years, known him ……We go back quite a long way, even before this odyssey and I’m really pleased that this has come to pass, so we can turn the page, reassure the community that is going to work together for Thanet."

So, it is a legitimate question the electorate can ask: -

"Does Craig Mackinlay the MP for South Thanet have an ulterior motive in promoting RSP (Antony Freudmann)?"

This week (7th September 2022) the South Thanet MP has been promoting a petition as follows; -

"We note the previous spending of £10,000 of local Council taxpayer precept by Ramsgate Town Council to attach themselves to a prior judicial review action to prevent aviation activities at the Manston site. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport has granted the Manston site development consent (a DCO) so that a new cargo hub and associated businesses can be advanced. The project is promoted by RiverOak Strategic Partners Limited and has long enjoyed the support of both Thanet MPs. Thanet perpetually has unemployment rates and average salaries behind South-East norms. A re-opened airport is expected to bring huge investment of hundreds of millions of pounds. This means new opportunities and a huge number of new jobs. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges Ramsgate Town Council to accept the decision of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, work constructively with the Government, RSP, Thanet’s MPs and other local authorities and elected representatives towards the re-opening of the airport, and to refrain from spending more public money on further legal challenges"

Clearly the statement in bold is politically motivated as Craig is a Conservative MP and the Ramsgate Town Council is a majority Labour Town Council however the statement is factually incorrect as the truth is there was a motion in Council which was debated, and a vote taken to give the judicial Review by Jenny Dawes £10000 towards appealing the decision of the SoS of the Department of Transport to grant a Development Consent Order (DCO) for the rebuilding of Manston for the following reason "I see Mackinlay doesn't explain the reason why the government did not defend the case & conceded. It was because they knew they would lose because the SoS acted unlawfully ..................The Defendant accepts that his decision letter dated 9 July 2020 (the “Decision Letter”) did not give adequate and intelligible reasons to enable the reader to understand why he disagreed with the Examining Authority Report on the issue of need for the development of Manston Airport.
The lack of adequate reasons in the Decision Letter rendered the Secretary of State’s decision dated 9 July 2020 to make the Manston Airport Development Consent Order 2020 (the “Manston DCO”) unlawful.

However, it is perfectly legal for Local Councils to utilise their funds in protecting the electorate as an example several councils put their money together to appeal the decision on Heathrow's third runway. This use of funds comes under Section 137 of theLocal Authorities Act 1972 applied and that the payments had been declared in the annual return and signed off without question by the relevant authority.






Sunday 21 August 2022

DCO Requirements


 

What follows is an extract from the following DCO granted (for the second time, the 1st being quashed in February 2022 by the High Court as deemed no NEED for the development) on the 18th of August 2022.

Despite the 1st order being quashed and the Independent Aviation Experts opinion that there is no NEED it seems the Tory Government has been determined to ramrod this planning permission through.

Notwithstanding that objectors to the development still have 6 weeks to appeal it seems the Transport Secretary has failed to deal with the question of NEED as he did when he granted the DCO the 1st time around

INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING

The

Manston Airport Development Consent Order 2022

Made - - - - 18th August 2022

Coming into force - - 8th September 2022

Time limits

The authorised development must commence no later than the expiration of five years beginning with the date that this Order comes into force

Development masterplans

3.—(1) No part of the authorised development is to be commenced until there has been submitted to and approved by the relevant planning authority in consultation with Kent County Council and Historic England—

(a) Where the authorised development is to be constructed in a single part, a masterplan in respect of the entire authorised development; or

(b) Where the authorised development is to be constructed in two or more parts, a masterplan for the relevant part of the authorised development.

Before a masterplan is submitted under sub-paragraph (1) the undertaker must—

(a) Commission further assessment of the historic character of the airfield, historic buildings survey, and archaeological investigation, and assess the heritage significance of heritage assets and their settings;

(b) Consider that the conservation of heritage assets of national importance and their settings should be given great weight, and conflict between their conservation and the proposal avoided or minimise and

(c) Consult the relevant planning authority, Kent County Council and Historic England before submitting the masterplan for approval and report on the consultees’ recommendations in the submission.

“Relevant planning authority” means in any given provision of this Order, the planning authority for the area to which the provision relates; in this case Thanet District Council

4.—(1) No part of the authorised development is to commence until details of the siting, design, external appearance, lighting, site access (including emergency access) and dimensions of any element of Work Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 or 20 contained in that part, which must accord with sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), have been submitted to and approved by the relevant planning authority in consultation with Kent County Council where relevant to its functions.

“Relevant planning authority” means in any given provision of this Order, the planning authority for the area to which the provision relates; in this case Thanet District Council

Construction environmental management plan

6.—(1) No part of the authorised development is to commence until a construction environmental management plan for that part, which must be substantially in accordance with the outline construction environmental management plan, has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the relevant planning authority, following consultation with the relevant highway authority, the Environment Agency, Southern Water, Historic England, the Civil Aviation Authority and Natural England to the extent that it relates to matters relevant to their function.

“Relevant planning authority” means in any given provision of this Order, the planning authority for the area to which the provision relates; in this case Thanet District Council

Operation environmental management plan

7.—(1) No part of the authorised development is to begin operation until an operation environmental management plan for that part has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the relevant planning authority, following consultation with the relevant highway authority, the Environment Agency, Southern Water, Historic England, the Civil Aviation Authority and Natural England to the extent that it relates to matters relevant to their function

Ecological mitigation

8.—(1) No part of the authorised development may be commenced until written details of the proposed on-site and off-site ecological mitigation for that part, the timetable for its implementation, its monitoring and management have been submitted to and approved by the local planning authority, in consultation with Natural England

“Relevant planning authority” means in any given provision of this Order, the planning authority for the area to which the provision relates; in this case Thanet District Council

Noise mitigation

9.—(1) the undertaker must fully implement the noise mitigation plan.

(2) The authorised development must be operated in accordance with the noise mitigation plan.

(3) No part of the authorised development is to commence until the measures set out in sections 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9 of the noise mitigation plan have been implemented.

Landscaping

10.—(1) No part of the authorised development is to commence, nor may powers under article 34 (felling or lopping of trees and removal of hedgerows) be exercised, until a landscaping scheme for that part, which sets out details of all proposed hard and soft landscaping works, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority

 “Relevant planning authority” means in any given provision of this Order, the planning authority for the area to which the provision relates; In this case Thanet District Council

Protected species

12.—(1) No part of the authorised development is to commence until for that part final pre-construction survey work has been carried out to establish whether European or nationally protected species are present on any of the land affected or likely to be affected by any part of the relevant works, or in any of the trees and shrubs to be lopped or felled as part of the relevant works.

Surface and foul water drainage

13.—(1) No part of the authorised development is to commence until for that part written details of the surface and foul water drainage plan, containing all relevant mitigation measures set out in the register of environmental actions and commitments including means of pollution control and monitoring and drainage operation, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the relevant planning authority following consultation with the Environment Agency, Kent County Council, Natural England and Southern Water on matters related to their function

“Relevant planning authority” means in any given provision of this Order, the planning authority for the area to which the provision relates; in this case Thanet District Council

Traffic management

14.—(1) No part of the authorised development is to commence until a construction traffic management plan for that part has been submitted to and approved in writing by the relevant planning authority, following consultation with the Royal Mail

“Relevant highway authority” means, in any given provision of this Order, the highway authority for the area to which the provision relates; in this case Kent County Council Highways

Piling and other intrusive works

15.—(1) No operations consisting of piling or other intrusive works (including drilling) are to commence until a risk assessment and a method statement have been submitted to and approved in writing by the relevant planning authority following consultation with the Environment Agency and Southern Water.

“Relevant planning authority” means in any given provision of this Order, the planning authority for the area to which the provision relates; in this case Thanet District Council

Archaeological remains

16.—(1) No part of the authorised development is to commence until for that part a written scheme for the investigation of areas of archaeological interest, containing all relevant mitigation measures set out in the register of environmental actions and commitments, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the relevant planning authority, following consultation with Historic England and Kent County Council on matters related to their function

“Relevant planning authority” means in any given provision of this Order, the planning authority for the area to which the provision relates; in this case Thanet District Council

 Community consultative committee

“Consultative committee guidance” means the Guidelines for Airport Consultative Committees published by the Department for Transport in April 2014

18.—(1) No part of the authorised development is to commence until the undertaker has established a community consultative committee pursuant to section 35(a) (facilities for consultation at certain aerodromes) of the 1982 Act.

Education, employment and skills plan

20.—(1) No part of the authorised development is to commence until an employment and skills plan has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the relevant planning authority, following consultation with the relevant local education authority to the extent that it relates to matters relevant to their function

In this case Kent County Council Education Authority

Monitoring

23. No part of the authorised development is to begin operation until a monitoring, auditing and reporting plan for the register of environmental actions and commitments has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the relevant planning authority, following consultation with the highway authority, the Environment Agency, Historic England, the Civil Aviation Authority and Natural England to the extent that it relates to matters relevant to their function.

High Resolution Direction Finder

24.—(1) No part of the authorised development must commence unless and until a detailed mitigation scheme to provide an alternate High Resolution Direction Finder, prepared by the undertaker and agreed in writing by the Ministry of Defence, has been submitted to the relevant planning authority. The detailed mitigation scheme must include siting location(s) for the alternate High Resolution Direction Finder, full specification for the equipment and infrastructure proposed, details of a programme, to test the new equipment as installed against the Ministry of Defence requirements for acceptance into service and the technical performance data necessary to establish safeguarding criteria to protect its subsequent operation.

(2) No part of the authorised development is permitted to be constructed within the zone protected by the Ministry of Defence (Manston) Technical Site Direction 2017 while the safeguarding direction is in force without the consent of the Secretary of State for Defence.

(3) No part of the authorised development must commence unless and until a programme for the decommissioning and removal of the existing High Resolution Direction Finder, prepared by the undertaker and submitted to and agreed in writing by the Ministry of Defence, has been submitted to the relevant planning authority. The decommissioning and removal of the existing High Resolution Direction Finder equipment must be carried out strictly in accordance with the details approved.

Editor’s Note

Despite an examination, which started in January 2019, and more than 3 years of evidence submitted by the MoD no resolution to the HRDF situation can be agreed by RSP and the MoD. Much of the situation has been exacerbated simply because RSP have failed to fully understand the MoD’s position. Clearly the Transport Secretary does as he points out in his letter. Whether RSP take it seriously enough we will have to wait and see.

169. The Secretary of State notes the discussion during the examination regarding the High Resolution Direction Finder (“HRDF”- a navigational aid to aircraft operating in the area and critical to maintaining the UK emergency response capabilities for the management of air safety incidents) and that the Applicant and MoD remained some way apart from agreement at the end of the examination [ER 6.9.129]. The Ministry of Defence (“MoD”) objected to the Development as it considered that it would have a significant and detrimental impact on the capability of safeguarded technical equipment located within the boundaries of the Development [ER 6.9.130]. The Secretary of State notes that in its response dated 31 January 2020 to his consultation letter of 17 January 2020 the MoD maintained its objection to the relocation of the HRDF and confirmed no resolution on this matter appeared imminent. In response to the redetermination process, the MoD confirm in its letter dated 9 July 2021 that it maintained its objection to the Development and that the matter or relocation of the HRDF remained outstanding.

170. The Secretary of State has given careful consideration to this issue. He notes the proposals from the MOD in their letter dated 31 January 2020 and agrees to MOD’s proposed amendment to requirement 24(1) but disagrees with the amendments proposed for 24(3). Notwithstanding this requirement, the Secretary of State also accepts that there is still no guarantee that the HRDF can be moved at this time, but would encourage the Applicant and the MOD to continue to engage in constructive dialogue to seek a workable solution to resolve this issue. The Secretary of State’s consideration of the compulsory acquisition of the HRDF land is set out below.

The Secretary of State also considers requirement 24 in the DCO should also ensure that the operation of the existing HRDF cannot be interfered with by the construction of the authorised development until such time as an alternative solution is agreed by the MOD and the existing safeguarding direction is withdrawn.

 This is the conclusions of OVE ARUP the independent Aviation Experts paid for (£150K) out of taxpayers money. Money wasted as their conclusions were ignored