DETERMINED council bosses have vowed to continue bankrolling Southend Air Show after it was revealed a lack of funding almost grounded this year’s event.

The authority was unsure whether it could stage the annual display until the full extent of the Government’s cost-cutting measures were unveiled.

Despite the scare, Derek Jarvis, Tory councillor responsible for culture and tourism, is sure the show will go on.

He said: “There are so many people who enjoy it. I do not think stopping it would be an option.

“Obviously it’s not possible to know what might happen in future years, but we have already started planning for next year’s event. I cannot see any changes in the foreseeable future.”

The airshow has been held for 26 years, with this year’s event attracted more than 300,000, despite the gloomy weather.

However, the council has had to pay the bulk of the £250,000 staging costs in recent years because of the lack of sponsors.

Chiefs blamed the economic downturn for the failure to attract a headline sponsor for this spring’s show.

In previous years, the shortfall has been covered by a Govern-ment grant, but Whitehall scrapped that support once the cost-cutting plans got under way.

That left council bosses with a £50,000 hole in the budget, and meant they were unsure whether there would be enough cash in the pot before the Government unveiled its full funding plans last December.

Although it did turn out enough money was available, by that stage it was too late to try to attract as many stalls and attractions as usual to the seafront.

Consequently, this dealt a further £30,000 blow to the council’s coffers in lost rental income.

However, Anita Thornberry, the council’s head of enterprise, said: “Although the council has made a loss on the event in recent years, it benefits traders by bringing hundreds of thousands of people into Southend.

“The financial loss to the authority is outweighed by the positive effect the airshow has on the town’s tourist economy.”

Ric Morgan, Liberal Democrat culture and tourism spokesman, added: “I am right behind the Conservatives on this one.

“The airshow is an important part of the town’s history and culture and we need to focus on making it as good as we can.”