Letter: Former firefighter issues personal plea to council on Oban Airport

George Berry, a former Oban retained firefighter and a former full time firefighter in the Strathclyde and Dumbarton service, has sent a letter which amounts to a personal plea to Argyll and Bute Council over the confused state of affairs at Oban Airport.

HIAL, operator of many Highlands and Islands airports, has declared it is not interested in bidding to operate Oban. This is not necessarily a disaster as opinions on HIAL are sharply divided – but it is an indication of a professional industry player preferring to stay well clear of the situation.

At the moment, historical turf wars see a fence erected which, although it does not disrupt the airport’s operation, has become disputacious. Litigation looms. The Council wants to get shot of the responsibility but not the actual asset.

And nobody seems to be at the helm of developing – or, more accurately, undeveloping – events.

The airport exists. It has been a monumental investment for Argyll and Bute Council – however misguided many of its formative decisions may have been.

The lesson here is that public sector bodies should not attempt to create a commercial facility or to run anything. They do not have neither the mind set, the skill setot the experience to understand the entrepreneurial drive, the necessary marketing, product development, proactive management for growth and sustainability – or even good management.

These inabilities are simply in the public sector DNA and are not endemic only in Argyll and Bute.

A successful approach is the exemplar of Lothian Buses, an energetic private sector company operated at long arms length from its owner, Edinburgh City Council and delivering significant annual revenues to the city budget. (Although Edinburgh City Council did show its typical public sector cluelessness by setting up the (shhh) trams project which would have been in competition with its own bus company.)

Argyll and Bute’s latest act of hubris is considering buying development leases from the Crown Estate for large areas of the Argyll sea bed and then selling parcels off to developers. They must not go there. It is literally not their business. This is no more than a boys’ game.  playing monopoly with real money that belongs to someone else – the taxpayer.

But they do need to sort out the mess at Oban Airport. Argyll needs this facility to work strongly in its favour  and we believe that it can – if the concept is right , the mixed use is there, the right product development is there and the marketing is what it will need to be.

George Berry’s letter

Here is George Berry’s personal take on the situation. There are many others. The debate is vigorous and necessary.

‘As an Oban FM radio presenter I appeal to you, as Argyll & Bute Councillors for Oban, Lorn & the Isles, whose duty it is to promote Oban as the gateway to Argyll and the Western Isles, to resolve the on-going problems at Oban Airport.

‘Since highlighting this situation on Oban FM’s Sunday morning show, it has been exposed that some 400 flights have been lost at Oban Airport, all down to a fence being erected by Argyll Aero Club who are in dispute with Argyll & Bute Council about a “Land Grab” of an area leased to the Argyll Aero Club in1995.  On Saturday 19th February 2011 in the Scotsman newspaper Jim Mather, MSP for Argyll, offered to broker peace talks between the warring sides.

‘This move was backed by Alisdair Allan S.N.P. M.S.P. for the western Isles who said the wrangle was damaging Scotland’s tourist economy and could impact on tourism on the islands

‘This issue was also given coverage by the Scottish Daily Express.

‘If Oban Airport is reduced to a Category 1 as proposed by Argyll & Bute Council, no landing of large aircraft will be allowed at this airport killing all hopes of developing the airport and related businesses in the future.  Why do this after spending money on training Fire Service personnel.  Also can I remind you that the B.N.2 Islander based at Oban Airport for the P.S.O. and scholar flights is a Category 2 aircraft carrying 9 passengers plus the pilot.

‘I would request that you to raise Oban Airport to a Category 3 allowing larger aircraft to land, a move which would boost the economy of the area and protect the livelihood of all the employees at the airport.

‘Finally, I would ask you not to drop the number of fire fighters at the airport to 4 as four fire fighters cannot perform fire fighting and rescue duties.  It takes four to fight a fire while a further two fire fighters must be deployed to enter and search the aircraft for casualties.

Yours faithfully
George Berry
(ex Oban retained Fire Fighter & ex full time Fire Fighter Clydebank & Dumbarton)

Editor’s Note: The ‘scholar flights’ referred to by Mr Berry are the flights paid for by the council which carry secondary pupils between the islands of Coll, Tiree and Colonsay and  Oban High School at either end of weekends.