6 months ago
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The Nuclear Free Local Authorities are delighted that two local Councils in the Theddlethorpe Search Area have passed resolutions calling for an immediate referendum to allow residents to give their view on the nuclear industry’s plan to bring a Geological Disposal Facility to the area.
The Leaders of East Lindsey District Council and Lincolnshire County Council have so far only promised a referendum by the end of 2027.
Theddlethorpe Parish Council first passed such a resolution, reflecting the view of local electors who responded to a parish poll conducted in March 2022, where 85% of the respondents said ‘No’ to the dump. At a meeting held on 7 May, Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council passed a resolution confirming that the council ‘opposes plans by Nuclear Waste Services to construct a Geological Disposal Facility at Theddlethorpe and supports the demand of Theddlethorpe Parish Council for an immediate test of public support’. This follows a recent poll of 1,008 local people in which 85% again expressed opposition to the plan.
In the May 2023 elections, voters overwhelmingly elected Councillors who were opposed to the nuclear dump to town and parish Councils and to the East Lindsey District Council. These resolutions are a further demonstration that Theddlethorpe, Mablethorpe, and Sutton remain an ‘unwilling’ community.
The NFLAs hopes that other local Councils will considering passing similar resolutions.
It is interesting to contrast recent developments in Theddlethorpe with those in Canada, where campaigners have also called for polls and plans to develop a Deep Geological Repository for the nation’s nuclear waste are more advanced than those in the UK.
For almost a year, the NFLAs and activists opposed to nuclear waste dumps in Lincolnshire and Cumbria have been meeting online with Canadian activists in Ignace and South Bruce in Ontario to share experiences and knowledge.
Ignace and South Bruce Councils have recently signed ‘hosting agreements’ with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), the private sector equivalent to British-taxpayer-funded Nuclear Waste Services, on 16 March and 1 May respectively.
The ‘hosting agreements’ pledge the NWMO to provide significant sums of money to either municipality in return for hosting the GDR. The Ignace agreement lasts for 81 years and provides a financial benefit of Canadian $170 million, whilst for South Bruce covers a period of 138 years and delivers a financial benefit of $418 million.
In both municipalities, campaigners successfully lobbied their Councils to hold local polls before agreeing to participate in the DGR project; however unfortunately, in both cases, their demand that it be in person rather than online has been frustrated.
In late April, residents in Ignace were asked to vote on whether they ‘want the Township (of Ignace) to continue participating in the (NWMO) process and to proceed as a potential host community’. The plan is to develop a DGR west of the municipality.
Poll results will be considered with interview summaries to form a recommendation to the Council as to whether to proceed. If the Council concludes that Ignace residents are not “willing” it will mean the end of the process for Ignace. The result of the poll is eagerly awaited.
In South Bruce, at the April 2024 Council meeting, a by-law was passed to set the day of the poll (called a by-election) as October 28. Legislation requires a minimum of 180 days from the passing of a by-law before any by-election can be held.
Campaigners are now looking to pursue a legal remedy to ensure the staff of a third-party Council conduct the by-election rather than South Bruce Council staff. They are also seeking to designate the South Bruce Council and NWMO as ‘third party advertisers’ to place a legal limit on the amount of money they can spend on promoting the nuclear waste dump project.
An update will be provided on developments in Theddlethorpe and Ontario as we have them.
Ends//… For more information please contact the NFLA Secretary Richard Outram by email to richard.outram@manchester.gov.uk
