T5 Go-Ahead: An offer of £5million to compensate for the environmental damage that will be caused by Terminal 5 has been dubbed a 'disgrace' by a Labour MP.

John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington, condemned BAA's proposed compensation package which will provide Hillingdon with £5m to be paid over five years.

He said: "The fund totals only £25 million to be spread over five local authority areas in a period of five years.

"This miserable, disgraceful offer means that Hillingdon will get less than £1 million a year."

The MP also criticised a panel, including council chief executive Dorian Leatham, which will monitor how the cash is spent.

"BAA has tried to stitch-up the membership of the committee which will be responsible for distributing the fund by excluding me as the local MP and including mainly T5 supporters. The committee is designed to be a poodle of BAA."

Cllr Ray Puddifoot, leader of the council, said: "This sort of planning application is not compensated with one payment. Hillingdon should certainly get a larger share of the compensation package being the host of Heathrow Airport.

"I will be maintaining a very robust approach to getting the most for Hillingdon before deciding whether the funding is sufficient or an insult."

However, a BAA spokesman said: "BAA has a long-standing partnership agreement with Hillingdon, as well as other boroughs surrounding the airport, where we invest large sums of money in environmental and community schemes.

"We are discussing ways to take that partnership forward over the coming years. Those discussions are at a very early stage with Hillingdon and will involve other local authorities in due course.

"A preliminary paper setting out some ideas on future community investment has been shared with Hillingdon Council. Nothing has yet been agreed, so Mr McDonnell's reaction is premature."

The £25 million package will be spread throughout the communities of Hillingdon, Hounslow, Spelthorne, Slough and Windsor.

Around £10m will be spent on environmental issues, a further £10 million on transport and £5 million on community support.

The funding is expected to go towards initiatives including landscaping, urban design and traffic calming and transport improvements for bus routes serving local communities.

The money is also earmarked for community support focusing on employment opportunities and school links.

Dorian Leatham added: "Councillors plan to meet BAA next week to discuss the proposed funding. The council aims to ensure that the level of funding will cover all parts of the borough. The results of these discussions will be reported to an appropriate committee meeting as soon as possible."

December 6, 2001 14:00