Doncaster daily bulletin November 17: Darren Burke with the headlines
Politicians across Doncaster’s political spectrum are being urged to unite to back the re-opening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, with city business chiefs calling on Conservative, Labour and Reform UK leaders to come together over the plan.
In an open letter to
Labour Mayor
Ros Jones, Doncaster Conservative group leader Coun Steve Cox and
Reform UK Doncaster leader Coun Guy Aston, a consortium of local business leaders have called for parties to put differences to one side and agree to vital funding which is essential to seeing the airport take off.
The letter, in full, reads: “We are writing to you jointly because, on the 27th of November, Doncaster Council has a once in a generation decision to make.
"The decision about accepting, from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, the funds necessary to facilitate the reopening of
Doncaster Sheffield Airport will, for years ahead, define Doncaster and the region’s approach to economic development, its appetite for risk, and scale of ambition.
https://www.annsummers.com/nightwea...doll/DESIRES-AT-DUSK-CROTCHLESS-BABYDOLL.html
Conservative, Labour and Reform UK politicians are being urged to come together and work to re-open Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
“The stakes are high, but the rewards are potentially enormous.
“Support for the reopening of DSA is exceptionally high within Doncaster and South Yorkshire’s business communities.
"Indeed, at various points of this campaign, many of the region’s major business organisations, including the three South Yorkshire Chambers, Cutlers’ Company of Hallamshire, the Federation of Small Busineses, the Institute of Directors, Make UK and others, have aligned to demonstrate this point to government and others.
"As you will know, these organisations, collectively, represent thousands of businesses and private sector thought leaders.
"This is in addition to the outpouring of public support for the reopening of DSA voiced via the #SaveDSA campaign and others.
“The reason so many businesses continue to support the reopening DSA is because the benefits to the economy are vast.
"Even the under-performing airport that closed its doors three years ago was contributing something akin to £100m a year to the regional economy.
"A fully functioning and well-run airport could contribute significantly more, with enormous benefits to inward investment, tourism, international trade, logistics, skills, supply chains, and more besides.
"As you will be aware, c5,000 direct jobs and 6,500 indirect jobs stand to be created by the airport. The airport is also central to the success of the adjacent Gateway East development site, part of South Yorkshire’s Investment Zone. The economic prize here is huge and cannot be mirrored by any other current South Yorkshire project.
“There are, of course, significant risks involved in a scheme of this nature. As representatives of the region’s business communities, we are eyes wide open to these. Ahead of the meeting on the 27th of November, you will, quite rightly, be assessing these risks and your own comfortableness with the mitigations proposed within the plan for DSA.
"With this in mind – and trusting you have been able to avail yourselves of it – we would politely remind you of the significant due diligence work that has been completed to date, including multiple pieces of assurance work.
"We would also strongly assert that the risks involved in not proceeding with this project now outweigh those of moving forward. Put simply, if South Yorkshire were to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory at this juncture, its credibility with residents, businesses, investors and government alike would be irreparably damaged.
“For these reasons, we urge you and your respective parties to vote yes to accepting the SYMCA funds on the 27th of November.
"We are, of course, cognisant of the complexities of the local political landscape, but, nonetheless, would contend that, on this occasion, the stakes are too high for you not to work together. In these circumstances, our business communities will, quite reasonably, expect pragmatism from you all and applaud those that choose to reach across the political divide to achieve the best outcome for South Yorkshire.
"If any of us can help in any way to facilitate dialogue between you or to provide additional evidence from the business community, we would be pleased to assist.
"The 27th of November will hopefully mark the moment this project fully matures from being a bootstrapped campaign into an ambitious start up airport. With funding approved, there will be an opportune moment to further shape the detail of how the project moves forward successfully, including, we hope, through the deeper involvement of the private sector.
"Indeed, following the Full Council meeting, we would welcome the opportunity to engage with you all about the implementation plan for DSA and how the benefits for business can be maximised. This, however, can wait. In the here and now, we urge you, in the strongest terms, to focus on getting over this final funding hurdle, to keep the project moving forward, and to keep DSA on a critical path to open for passenger flights in 2028.
“On behalf of our members, we thank and applaud those who have worked tirelessly to get the DSA project to this stage. Please vote yes to accepting the funding on the 27th of November and to keeping our region’s flagship economic regeneration project on track.”
The letter was signed by
Carrie Sudbury, Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber
Keith Jackson, Cutlers’ Company of Hallamshire
Dan Fell, Doncaster Chamber
Barney Mynott, FSB
Pete Shillito, IoD
Dawn Huntrod, Make UK
Mark Chadwick, SaveDSA
Louisa Harrison Walker, Sheffield Chamber
www.bbc.co.uk