Challenge over Oban Airport upgrade costs

Federation of Small Businesses seeks answers on council accountability

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The Federation of Small Businesses is piling pressure on Argyll and Bute Council to answer questions about Oban Airport.

The council has spent £9million upgrading airports at Oban, Colonsay and Coll to provide scheduled flights to Coll, Colonsay and Tiree.

After receiving representations from local members, John Wright, UK national chairman of the FSB, took the council to task for its “apparent lack of accountability” over the project costs and demanded answers to a list of questions. He wanted to know why flights at Oban are down by about 60% after such a huge investment, and why the project went £3million over budget.

Yesterday he described the council’s response as “disappointing to say the least”.

Mr Wright said: “The council replied that they do not consider our figures accurate. Rather than try and avoid answering a simple question by asking for our figures, they must put the true costs into the public domain now.

“They agree the final cost was £9million and this has not changed over the past two years. It is our understanding the initial costing for Oban, Coll and Tiree was £6million. Why an extra £3million and whose budget did it come from? I also note that there is no response to our assertion that visitor movements, that is non local flight and rather outside flights to the airport, are down by 60%.

“We have the figures from 2001 to 2006 when the council took over the running of the airport. What are their figures since then? It is simply unacceptable to answer a question with a question. This is all information that council constituents have a right to know so, once again please, can we have the answers we seek?”

A spokeswoman for Argyll and Bute Council said yesterday: “Argyll and Bute Council has had no contact from the Federation of Small Businesses. Therefore if Mr Wright would like to know any information we would be more than happy for him to contact us directly where we will do our upmost to cater for his needs other than through the pages of a newspaper.”