Cornwall councillors vote against sale of Newquay airport shares

Cornwall Council was advised to sell its majority share in Newquay Airport

Cornwall councillors have rejected plans to sell off Newquay airport despite having to spend millions every year to subsidise it.

In a meeting behind closed doors on Tuesday, councillors dismissed a recommendation by consultants to sell a majority share in the airport.

The council has previously said it would like to reduce the subsidies required to keep the airport running.

Councillors voted to exclude the public from the discussion on the airport.

Council officers had said that a report on the airport should be given and discussed in private because it contained information about financial or business affairs, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Independent councillor Tim Dwelly, who made a point of order, said some information could be considered confidential but he felt the wider report could have been debated in public.

Maximise economic impact

"It is a hugely strategic question about whether we sell or part sell the airport," he said before the confidential session.

"It is an extremely important part of the economy of Cornwall and should be debated in public in my opinion."

Council officers conceded that it was "unusual" for an entire report to be taken into confidential session but they said disclosing certain information would "impact the business of the airport".

After the committee came back into public session, councillors supported moves to maximise the economic impact of the airport and minimise the cost of the airport on residents.

Previous reports put the council's subsidy to the airport at about £3.5m a year.

The authority said it wanted to use more of the land at the airport for business development and was undertaking a review of the whole site.

It is already home to Spaceport Cornwall, which is set to see the first horizontal launch by Virgin Orbit later this year.