Wiltshire Air Ambulance attempt to reclaim Novichok costs backed unanimously by Wilts Council

Lib Dem Cllrs Thorn and Dalton submitted a motion to Tuesday's Wiltshire Council full council meeting urging the council to press the government to honour its commitment to paying the compensation. Despite enlisting the support of Wiltshire's five MPs, WAA has yet to see any of the money.

Wiltshire Council leader Philip Whitehead has denied claims they left Wiltshire Air Ambulance (WAA) in the lurch after the Novichok attack in Salisbury in 2018. He was responding to claims by Liberal Democrats Ian Thorn and Brian Dalton that the council failed to give sufficient support to WAA's efforts to reclaim over £100,000 from the government for the costs incurred in dealing with the incident.

Cllr Whitehead said: "We did not leave them in the lurch. To say otherwise, is incredibly detrimental to Wiltshire Council."

The charity says it cost thousands to decontaminate its aircraft and support crews after flying to the aid of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia and the fatal poisoning of Dawn Sturgess in June 2018.

Councillors voted 73-0 to support the Lib Dem led campaign for fair treatment for Wiltshire Air Ambulance and make further representations to the government to meet the costs.

Full story found here
https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/18599092.wiltshire-council-backing-wiltshire-air-ambulances-claim-100-000-novichok-costs/

Full story found here
https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/18599092.wiltshire-council-backing-wiltshire-air-ambulances-claim-100-000-novichok-costs/