Pembrokeshire CC will review options for a loss-making airport after one of its members branded a suggested £2.1m upgrade ‘complete stupidity’.
Council-owned Haverfordwest Airport, in the Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone, has seen leisure and commercial flights decline because of the general economic climate.
The authority had a net expenditure budget of £63,000 for the airport in 2014-15 but the out-turn figure is now expected to be £119,000.
Liberal Democrat Cllr Bob Kilmister said investing in the airport made no economic sense and proposed a motion, referred to cabinet, that the council ‘recognises that running an airport is not a suitable function for a local authority’.
It goes on the call for the council to 'either find a purchaser at the earliest possible opportunity for Haverfordwest Airport or seek to find an operator who can move the operation to the much more suitable site at Brawdy, which can take much larger aircraft,' - the RAF left Brawdy airfield in 1992.
Director of development, Steven Jones said the review would cover six options, including seeking to improve the financial position of the status quo, redeveloping the airport site, and relocating the operation to Brawdy.
‘A further consideration to be taken into account as part of the review will be the impact of modernised European Commission State Aid rules, published in 2014,’ he added.
Dr Jones said the Welsh Government had offered financial support, subject to a detailed business plan, and NHS Wales had identified the airport as part of its new ‘flying doctor’ service.
Consultants were due to report on options for Brawdy this summer.
