The war of words over this weekend's Airfusion music event in Courtenay Park, Newton Abbot, has intensified after opponents claimed Teignbridge Council deliberately undermined them. Residents and businesses are concerned the event will be a repeat of last year's, which police have confirmed generated 117 incidents including anti-social behaviour and public order offences. Now campaigners have said Teignbridge 'manipulated' the issuing of the critical premises licence, without which the event could not go ahead. Councillors granted it on Friday, just one week before the gates opened on three days of live music and dance. Businessman John Mitchell was among 21 people who objected and he claimed the council's timing had left no time for opponents to appeal or gain an injunction with which to stop the festival. 'We believe the council has manipulated the situation to prevent us from doing exactly that,' he told this paper. 'They had plenty of time to call this hearing a few weeks ago. By calling it on a Friday, and not issuing the decision until the last working hour of the day, they ensured that we couldn't even put in an appeal to the magistrates' court before people actually arrived on site.
'We would want to ensure that the council is held responsible for what we believe to be a totally incorrect decision.' Along with members of the Courtenay Park and Devon Square Neighbourhood Watch, Mr Mitchell believes Teignbridge is guilty of maladministration. In May, they referred the council to the Ombudsman and claimed there was 'much false and deliberately misleading information' issued by the council. They also believe that bylaws do not allow the park to be closed off or used as a campsite and argue about the positioning of the council's signs which informed residents about the licence application. Teignbridge Council issued a short statement which defended its position. It read: 'Licensing regulations prescribe the time frame within which applications should be processed and hearings held. The hearing in this application was held within the statutory time frame.' Campaigners have promised to keep up the fight and to ensure Airfusion moves to a new venue next year.