Attend the meeting

“Whilst the public gallery is available, nobody can contribute to the debate by attending. It is a good point that folk are at work at 2pm. Maybe on very big issues the meeting should be held at 6pm? If councillors hold shares in SHH then these should be declared, and it must be possible to search the company register in the absence of anyone volunteering the information”

“Sadly, I have to concede that you've hit the nail on the head there, blogtodi. Despite the obvious harm it's doing, unchecked corporate capitalism won by default when Soviet communism failed and nobody's working on saner alternatives.”

“At Nevman - It's too early in our political/commercial era to think anything other than politcal/business pressures will determine the outcome of the airport or other controversial developments.

Maybe in another 100 years politicians and businessmen will see the futility of year-on-year growth which we call 'capitalistic greed'. But not in my lifetime, I think.”

“There's more to life than politics than business, blogtodi, as the current mess the world's in might indicate to those not blinded by short-term gain.”

“It's nice to dream but reality is business and business isn't an airport in Plymouth. It's land development and Roborough airfield is prime real estate ready for that development. Never mind what Plymouth wants or thinks it needs. Business will dictate the outcome not wishful thinking.”

“Hmm... funny how it was becoming more and more viable until Sutton Harbour Holdings got their paws on it...

The problem with the altar of "pure business economics" is that, like all statistics, it's open to manipulation. It also ignores any factor which can't be conveniently reduced to a quantity and scribbled on a balance sheet, such as long-term necessity.

Once the airport's gone, it's gone for good and we've lost infrastructure which will be vital if Plymouth ever hopes to haul itself out of the mire and attract the business investment it so desperately needs.”

“@Nevman- Has it occurred to anybody that this is exactly want the council wanted to do rather than be lumbered with a dying, non-profitable, non-viable airport? Pure business economics.”

“What's your perfectly reasonable explanation for the council making an unprecedented gift of the airport lease to SHH - complete with extraordinarily punitive get-out clause - and not even allowing councillors to see the full contract then, blogtodi?”

“Ah, a conspiracy theory already. If it was that important...”

“Regrettably, most people with an interest in this (the airport discussion) will probably be at work - I know I will be. Rather convenient for the council that those who are most likely to ask the awkward questions will be safely tucked away at their various places of employment...”