The parties do not agree to buy the airport in Ängelholm

Next week, the municipal board in Helsingborg decides whether there will be a purchase of the airport in Ängelholm and a couple of weeks later, the council has the last word.

But the issue is controversial. Not least from an environmental point of view. Helsingborg has for several years worked for politicians and officials to take the train to Stockholm and not the plane.

The proposal to buy the airport in Ängelholm has not least for those reasons been met with criticism from, among others, the Green Party and also the Left Party. They believe that climate work is at great risk of having to be ironed out because more people have to take the flight in order for the airport to be financially viable.

The yes side claims that the airport is needed for the sake of companies and for the growing hospitality industry. Without an airport, some companies and thus jobs will disappear, it is stated in the draft decision in the municipal board.

Can the two goals be combined?

- Yes, says Jonas Vesterlund (C), chairman of the environmental committee. But it is a huge challenge. The unnecessary flights are the ones we need to get rid of. Those that can be replaced by trains should be done by train, but there are still flights that are difficult to opt out of. For example, flights to northern Sweden or out into the world. They must still be there.

Municipal councilor Marcus Friberg (MP) says no.

- We can not both eat the cake and keep it. You have to choose, the environment or the aviation. The Green Party chooses the environment and we say no when the issue reaches the council.

The airport purchase will at least initially be a loss-making deal. It appears from the proposal for a decision that has now landed on the table of Helsingborg politicians. The number of flights has decreased steadily in recent years. There was no profit last year and in its budget for 2020, the current owner Peab expected a loss. Then came the coronavirus and made everything even worse. Then Peab decided to quit.

For the seven municipalities that will form an owner company, it will be a deal of a total of 50 million according to the proposal. It will cover the cost of Peab's shares and any losses this year. According to the proposed resolution, the owner municipalities undertake to also cover losses in the coming years. The municipalities are Helsingborg, Ängelholm, Klippan, Höganäs, Båstad, Bjuv and Perstorp.

But the efforts vary between the municipalities. Helsingborg pays just under 21 million, most of all, and receives 41.9 percent of the shares. According to the proposal, the owner company's board will be led by the municipality of Ängelholm and politicians from all intended owner municipalities will sit on it.

The new group also includes an airport company that will handle operations. Peab continues to own buildings and land. The airport company has to pay an annual rent of around two million kronor.

But the parties in the seven municipalities do not agree. While the Social Democrats in Helsingborg said yes to the purchase, the Social Democrats in Bjuv hesitate.

- We are still discussing, but it tends to say no, says the opposition councilor Anders Månsson (S).