INCINERATOR: Council backs new burner court fight
Norfolk County Council application for planning permission posted near the site for the incinerator.
A LEGAL challenge against environment secretary Caroline Spelman’s decision to support the incinerator project will be launched by West Norfolk Council.
Leader Nick Daubney has called on Mrs Spelman to trust local people’s judgement and prove that the Saddlebow project, now has a broad consensus of support.
Borough councillors unanimously voted on Thursday for officers to start the “essential and necessary” steps to launch a judicial review into basis of Mrs Spelman’s decision. They also called for communities and local government secretary Eric Pickles to call in the project.
Two weeks ago Government officials insisted the project had met its criteria to release the £169 million of private finance, months after delaying the decision for Norfolk County Council to show that there is a “broad consensus” of support.
But, speaking at a full council meeting in Lynn Town Hall, Mr Daubney said that members had been given great trust by their communities.
Mr Daubney said objections had been lodged by the borough council, chamber of commerce, the Lynn News and on social media websites.
He said: “Can someone tell me how the secretary of state judges this demonstrates a broad consensus of support for the waste strategy?”
He called on the minister to “justify a decision which has not even been debated in a council chamber” and said they had asked to see the evidence supporting the decision.
Mr Daubney said: “If this evidence exists, share it with us. See if we can be convinced, trust the judgement of local people.
“If it doesn’t exist we should challenge it and I believe we should do it formally and legally. We have this option available.”
Labour group leader David Collis said that it was a “privilege” to support the motion and added that the council should remain “resolute” in its opposition.
He said: “It is very sad that a minister of the crown should ignore our wishes which are based on the future health and welfare of our community, particularly when there are potential alternative ways we can handle our black bin waste in a productive way.”
John Collop said the twin hatters who sit on the county and borough councils had “let us down badly.”
But twin hatter and the borough council’s deputy leader Brian Long, who at the last county meeting voted against an investigation and debate on the incinerator, said there were better ways to deal with a “valuable raw material”.
He said: “I am one twin hatter and I will vote to support what the leader has said. I can’t see that broad consensus of support.”
Michael Tilbury said it was important that the council feels exactly the same as West Norfolk voters, who have spoken out against the project.
The council had voted against the incinerator in March and October last year.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
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