Best Before End: The Freeport – A Timeline of Disclosure
How easy has it been for the public to see a key Plymouth Freeport document?
Here’s a timeline charting public access to the original ‘Freeport Bid’ – submitted in February 2021, without South Hams public consultation.
Early 2021 The Freeport Bid is agreed with potential member councils, Devon County Council, Plymouth & South Hams.
Feb 2021 Freeport Bid is submitted to UK Gov, but not released to the public.
2022 Public become aware that the awarded Plymouth Freeport boundary stretches 75km to include most of Dartmoor (Dartmoor National Park can find no clear records of consultation + National Park not part of Joint Local Plan).
Nov 17th 2023 Concerned over lack of clarity, residents hold a public meeting in Totnes to discuss the Freeport: reps from Freeport & South Hams invited to speak. Invites declined. Plymouth Freeport sends a statement by email two hours before the meeting start time. Freeport Bid document remains unreleased.
Nov 22nd 2023 West Country Voices publish ‘Reflections on Freeport Meeting’ seeking clarity including content of the Freeport Bid document.
Nov 28th 2023 West Country Voices publish ‘Analysis of South Hams Council’s Own Report’ seeking clarity including content of the Freeport Bid document.
Nov 30th 2023 South Hams Exec Council: Cllrs push for answers on 75km Dartmoor boundary.
Dec 4th 2023 Totnes Pulse publish article ‘Lets’ Give the Freeport the Time & Consideration It Needs’ calling for time to consider the implications and seeking clarity on the Freeport Bid & 75km boundary.
Dec 4th 2023 Local resident Jim Funnell submits ‘Freedom of Information’ (FOI) requests, incl. for the Freeport Bid document to South Hams: South Hams state that a response should be expected within 20 days.
Dec 14th 2023 West Country Voices publish article “Dartmoor At Risk!” which calls for clarity on the Bid document & 75km boundary.
Dec 14th 2023 South Hams Council mtg: Cllrs push for answers on 75km Dartmoor boundary.
Dec 2023 (undated) ‘Plymouth Freeport Freedom of Information (FOI) Protocol’ is released: it states that if councils receive FOI requests, Plymouth Freeport will provide them free of charge with a copy of all information requested which is in its possession or control within 10 Working Days.
Dec 22nd 2023 South Hams contact the local resident to state they require an extension to 40 days for the ‘Freeport Bid’ FOI request.
Feb 1st 2024 Local resident is informed re. the FOI request that the Freeport Bid will not be disclosed by South Hams ‘as the council does not hold a copy of the Bid’ (despite South Hams being a Freeport founder member, and despite the FOI Protocol).
Feb 2024 The local resident – Jim Funnell – raises a complaint with South Hams Council: according to the Freeport’s own Protocol, South Hams should have at least been provided with a copy of the Bid.
March 1st 2024 The local resident speaks at Dartmoor National Park Committee meeting after DNPA has itself raised concerns about lack of clarity on the 75km Freeport boundary.
March 15th 2024 The local resident speaks to South Devon National Landscape re implications of boundary on Protected Landscape & lack of clarity on Freeport.
March 21st 2024 75km Dartmoor boundary issues covered in Alastair Campbell & Rory Stewart’s ‘Rest Is Politics’ Podcast
March 22nd 2024 75km Dartmoor boundary covered in Jemma Forte & Marina Purkiss’ ‘The Trawl’ podcast.
Jan – April 2024 Local resident Jim Funnell questions Plymouth Freeport documentation on the ‘Governance’ section of its website incl. an apparent 6 month delay in public release of one set of Freeport Board minutes (no discernible reason given for this). Plymouth Freeport contact the local resident to arrange a meeting to allay ‘perceived concerns’. Local resident requests that a range of documents (incl. Freeport Bid document) should be released for public transparency.
April 9th 2024 Local resident Jim Funnell writes to:
– ‘Task & Finish’ Report lead Cllr & South Hams Freeport representative: asking for clarity on Langage hydrogen, a 9km hydrogen pipe & Freeport Board minutes apparently not publicly released for 6 months.
– South Hams Legal: for clarity on what would happen if South Hams were to withdraw from Plymouth Freeport arrangement. Resident theorises with evidence that the Freeport would be unable to function operationally in this situation.
April 10th 2024 Totnes Pulse publish article ‘Time to Release the Dartmoor Document’ seeking clarity and release of the Freeport Bid document.
April 16th 2024 Totnes Pulse publish article ‘Plymouth Freeport ‘Not of Benefit to Air Further’” seeking greater clarity on 75km Dartmoor boundary.
April 18th 2024 – South Hams Executive: following a public question, the South Hams rep for Plymouth Freeport states that the ‘Dartmoor rationale’ segment from the Bid document will be released (3 years after its actual submission to UK Government).
April 18th 2024 South Hams states it will not answer any further questions on the Freeport from the local resident Jim Funnell (see Totnes Pulse article ‘The Resident Who Asked Too Much’).
April 26th 2024 Plymouth Freeport itself releases the Freeport Bid document and much requested information (but not all, as some information is withheld/ redacted under relevant exemptions) to local resident, Jim Funnell. Plymouth Freeport also offers the opportunity for further questions.
After a 3 year journey from submission to public release it’s a significant and welcome step forward. Does this represent a new direction of travel with greater transparency?
(On 30th April, Plymouth & South Devon Freeport assured Jim Funnell the Freeport Bid Document will be published on the Governance section of their website. Jim Funnell will be analysing and writing about the information that has been disclosed soon).