The proposed incinerator site at Saddlebow. Picture: Ian Burt.

All nine Norfolk MPs back King’s Lynn incinerator call-in

by DAN GRIMMER Thursday, June 28, 2012
6:30 AM

All nine of Norfolk’s MPs have called for communities secretary Eric Pickles to take the final decision over whether an incinerator should be built in the county.

With the county council’s planning committee due to discuss tomorrow whether the controversial plant should be built at King’s Lynn, the collective approach by MPs is designed to put pressure on the government to take the final decision away from Norfolk.

Previously, six of the county’s MPs had publicly called for Mr Pickles to call-in the issue, but South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, Great Yarmouth MP Brandon Lewis and Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman have made it a full house.

In the letter, the MPs state: “Although it is obviously in Henry Bellingham’s constituency, and just on the edge of Elizabeth Truss’s, nevertheless we as Norfolk MPs feel that it very definitely should be ‘called-in’.

“Indeed, it is not just of local importance, but we do believe that it really does have regional and national implications as well.”

They raised concern that, with the incinerator planned to have a capacity of more than 250,000 tonnes a year, yet the council only supplying 170,000 tonnes of waste to it, waste could have to be imported from around the region.

The letter added: “As I am sure you are aware, the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk carried out a local referendum which delivered a result of 92.68pc saying “No” on a 61.3pc turnout.

“This is obviously one of the most decisive results in British electoral history and surely another ground for it being ‘called-in’.”

Norman Lamb, Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, said: “It sends a pretty powerful signal that there is unanimity of view among the county’s MPs.”

Elizabeth Truss, Conservative MP for South West Norfolk, said: “Clearly, we want to see the proposal called in. I personally feel that there was a huge vote against it with the local referendum and local voices need to be heard.

“But in times when we have a large budget deficit, we have to be careful what we spend our money on, especially if local people do not want it, so I think it is a national issue too.”

With council officers recommending that the Willows Power and Recycling Plant is granted permission at tomorrow’s planning meeting, Mr Lamb said someone from outside the county should scrutinise the decision, assuming permission is granted.

If Mr Pickles does choose to call in the decision, it would mean there would need to be a public inquiry conducted by a planning inspector.

dan.grimmer

13 comments

By the way Daisy Roots, the call in was also supported by neighbouring MP's in North East Cambridgeshire and South Holland.

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Honest John

Sunday, July 1, 2012
Message to Brandon Lewis. Dont even think about saying that it can be built in Gt Yarmouth. If you do, you will have one hell of a fight on your hands !.

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"V"

Friday, June 29, 2012
Message to Brandon Lewis. Dont even think about saying that it can be built in Gt Yarmouth. If you do, you will have one hell of a fight on your hands !.

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"V"

Friday, June 29, 2012
With news of any decision being put on hold by Eric pickles is a good reason that County Councillors on planning tomorrow make sure they have scrutinized this application to the hilt as they will be scrutinized by a government department. I expect none have read the 560 page report or even know what an incinerator is. The problem all along is they have been influenced to tow the party line or lose valuable financial benefits.

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Choice

Thursday, June 28, 2012
I must add how important the local government code of conduct is for, for employees and councillors.It is a measure of compliance and there are disciplinary consequences.It is important therefore for Eric Pickles tests their behaviour in relation to the code.Of particular interest may be conflict of interest and failure to supervise.These of course are statutory duties.

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Peter Watson

Thursday, June 28, 2012
Well said honest John, but the figure of 250.000tons of OUR waste is arbitrary, it precludes that we will let them have our waste. But since the cabinet has voted in favour a week or so ago, we have a situation where the contract with the public has been broken by NCC, we have no obligation to let them have our waste and I urge every parish and Town council to realise this option to recycle their own valuable wastes, especially metals and high value plastics, private operators will only be too pleased to set up collection bins. The sums raised will reduce local precepts. An inquiery should also look at the companies probety and record, it is outrageous that NCC officers have dragged us into this open ended agreement without realising the outstanding liabilities this company is bringing with it.

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ingo wagenknecht

Thursday, June 28, 2012
It is common knowledge Daisy Roots, is also common knowledge that this proposal was put forward as a solution to ‘Norfolk’s waste.’ For Norfolk taxpayer’s to pay through their pocket and their health from the unaccounted NOx emissions for unnecessary HGV’s on totally inadequate roads, purely for financial gain of non-contract waste from other counties, only makes sense to Wheelabrator, and is one of the reasons this is opposed. NCC has not even taken transport into account in their simple maths calculations, but then NORSENEWS will trouser profits there, won’t they?

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Honest John

Thursday, June 28, 2012
The Tories are sharpening their knives.It will not be a pretty sight.

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Peter Watson

Thursday, June 28, 2012
I thought it was common knowledge and sense that it was being sited at Lynn so that it could take waste from the East Lincolnshire and North West Cambridgeshire area as well as from Norfolk.

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Daisy Roots

Thursday, June 28, 2012
One way or another the County is responsible for feeding the plant with 250,000 tonnes, from domestic,business and elsewhere not just 170,000 tonnes. When is the appropriate tome for a call in? Before or after tomorrow's meeting?

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bedoomed

Thursday, June 28, 2012
I thought it was common knowledge and sense that it was being sited at Lynn so that it could take waste from the East Lincolnshire and North West Cambridgeshire area as well as from Norfolk.

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Daisy Roots

Thursday, June 28, 2012
This clearly should be called in and a proper Inquiry into the scheme should take place. The issues of air pollution have not been fully addressed. The issues of capacity and waste miles needs to be fully explored. I would be interested to know how much this has cost the County Council so far. I feel sure it would have been cheaper if they had gone about the right way in the first place. I am sure that if this goes ahead as planned at the moment Norfolk will rue the day.

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norfolkngood

Thursday, June 28, 2012
The capacity proposed is 250,000 tonnes, but the County has the legal duty to deal with all waste. So stating that it only supplies 170,000 tonnes is wrong as this is the domestic element. We must tackle the reduction of commercial and industrial waste, and then re-use, before recycling.Resources are finite and too valuable to just burn.I hope the 9 MP's know this.

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bedoomed

Thursday, June 28, 2012