CLIMATE change arguments are threatening to shoot down plans for a major airshow event in Teignbridge.

Purse-string holders at the district authority are minded to knock Teignmouth’s new spectacular out of the sky because of its impact on the environment.

They say the £10,000 cash boost being asked for should be spent elsewhere – but ‘gutted’ organisers have fired back that the eco-impact would be minimal.

Teignbridge leader Gordon Hook confirmed this week that he’d refused to splash the cash because of the harm plane fumes will have on the environment.

Airshow organiser Dave Matthews is now warning the highly-anticipated July 5-7 event might not go ahead because of the cash withdrawal.

‘We are still in talks about what we are going to do as we need that money – and now it is all up in the air,’ he told the Mid-Devon Advertiser.

Cllr Hook believed it would have been ‘hypocritical’ of him to give the air show a cash injection as he’d only just given a district councillor the job of helping combat the effects of climate change.

Illogical

He explained: ‘Teignbridge recently declared a climate change emergency so we cannot support something that is contributing towards the problem.

‘It seems illogical to support the airshow. I am very keen to support the tourism industry and economy across Teignbridge – but we will not have an economy if we don’t fight climate change.’

And the senior Lib Dem added: ‘I am sorry that people might be disappointed, but air shows are always a gamble. If there is bad weather then we’ve wasted money.

‘Difficult decisions have to be made – but this is the right move.’

Teignbridge’s crucial financial hand-out would have come from a pot of unspent cash given to councillors to donate to community projects. The money will now go into a crowdfunding scheme for groups to apply for in a bid to receive a share.

A miffed Mr Matthews, a former Teignbridge councillor, said: ‘We are really struggling – and I am absolutely gutted.

‘The environmental impact from the airshow is very minimal. It is like a journey to Spain on a plane. It is not massive.

‘What we are going to do to mitigate is actually much more than any environmental impact the airshow will have. We are not using single-use plastics, we are recycling and handing out plants for people to take home and grow.

‘But Teignbridge do not know about that because they haven’t asked us!’

Mr Matthews insisted the district authority’s £10,000 contribution would have made sure the event happens, but now organisers have to scramble to make up the shortfall.

Teignbridge, he felt, were adding insult to injury by trying to bill the air show for £1,000 for bins to be emptied along the seafront after the show.

He added: ‘What has annoyed me most is that we are a group of six volunteers working to put this event on for the community.

‘We have had people from up country contacting us asking for places to stay as accommodation in Teignmouth, Dawlish and Newton Abbot is full, so we are sending them to other towns in Teignbridge. We are doing this for businesses all across the district.’

Veteran Teignmouth councillor Sylvia Russell joined the ever-growing chorus of unhappy airshow supporters.

She complained: ‘A huge question mark hangs over the airshow now because Teignbridge isn’t funding the event – something agreed by previous leader Jeremy Christophers.

‘It would be a disaster if the air show is cancelled at the last minute. And there is a danger that it will have to be cancelled.’

News of the cash block was revealed by Cllr Hook at Wednesday night’s Newton Abbot Town Council meeting.

Former mayor Ann Jones reckoned the amount of cash generated from thousands of people heading to Teignmouth to watch the show outweighed any harm the air display might create.

Shocked

She said:‘I am quite shocked the council didn’t support the airshow. The revenue is so much more than the 30-minute or so show. Traders will be up in arms.’

Cllr Jones asked after the meeting: ‘It appears the airshow is now not going ahead. Is this due to the £10,000 not being forthcoming from Teignbridge?’

And she added: ‘I understand this money will now go into crowdfunding which should be available for community projects, but I assume that any project which makes a claim upon this fund, by necessity, will have to concur with the Lib Dem climate change policy.

‘Traders only have a short season in which to earn enough to keep them going for the rest of the year. The air show brings in a huge amount of revenue to Teignbridge. How are they going to make up that deficit? I am sure the people of Teignmouth would all like to know.’

Cllr Phil Bullivant, a town and district member, said it was ‘very sad’ that Teignbridge wouldn’t support the air show.

He said: ‘Cllr Hook refused to allocate the £10,000 requested on the basis that airshows are not justified because of their impact on the environment.

‘One can argue that the proposed airshow would have been a major attraction in Teignmouth, bringing in visitors and large amounts of income to business and promoting the town, which has sky-high aspirations.’

Any business or individual looking to support the airshow should contact Mr Matthews by emailing [email protected].