Ex Labour finance chief wanted to spend Croydon Council’s taxpayers money on an aircraft hangar.
After buying a hotel and shopping centre, Labour’s former cabinet lead for finance Simon Hall had to be persuaded not to invest in an air hanger at Biggin Hill.
A member of the council’s Executive Leadership Team interviewed by Richard Penn said that upmarket financial advisors Deloitte’s, had to be brought in at cost, to persuade Hall that it was not a good idea to invest in the aircraft hangar at Biggin Hill, because he would ‘not accept’ the professional advice of council officers.
The senior council officer said he hadn’t been directly involved with discussions about other council  initiatives like the ill-fated Brick by Brick scheme and the purchase of the Croydon Park Hotel, which was sold at a loss,  but recalled how Hall had wanted to buy an ‘airport hangar’ which caused ‘some amusement’ when it was discussed by the senior management team.
The Chronicle is analysing the Penn report and providing live updates on its Facebook page.