I have read the JAAP for Southend Airport and would like to register my strong objections to the proposals - both for the preferred option and in respect of any expansion at all. I should also be gratful if you could clarify some issues concerning the consultation process for the development of Southend Airport. Although the latest edition of Take Off invites people to indicate whether they support Southend becoming a fully functional regional airport, this decision already appears to have been taken. Given that ownership of the airport has transferred to one of the largest freight operators in the UK and a new rail link has been approved it would be highly unlikely that the expansiion would not go ahead. Could you therefore clarify the positiion by providing answers to the following questions. 1. Is the consultation process being overseen by an independent body (ie independent of Southend and Rochford Councils)? 2. What is the purpose of the consultation (ie to obtain general feedback on the preferred options or specifically to assess the degree of support or otherwide for development of the airport)? 3. If it is a genuine attempt to gauge the level of support for expansion, how will the responses be used in the overall decision-making process. For example, would it depend on a minimum number or responses received and a simple majority decision (ie at least 51% in favour or not in favour)? 4. When and where will the results of the consultation process be published.