Brave anti-incineration campaigners from in and around Hull, who refused to give up on their dream of a Hull without incineration despite the granting of both planning permission and an environmental permit (or two!) have been rewarded as funding (and waste) has failed to materialise!
The Hull Daily Mail is reporting:
Campaigners are claiming a victory against controversial plans for an incinerator near Hedon, after the development hit funding problems.
It comes after East Riding and Hull City councils announced a bid for private finance initiative (PFI) cash to help pay for the waste-burning facility was no longer being considered.
The authorities said the global economic crisis meant the financing option had become “un-affordable”. The councils had been seeking £73.7m of PFI money for the incinerator, proposed for a site at Saltend.
John Dennis, spokesman for the Hull and Holderness Opposing the Incinerator (Hoti) group, welcomed news of the funding blow.
Hoti regards this decision as very positive. We don’t yet feel the war has been won, but a significant battle has gone our way.
Earlier this year, the Environment Agency gave the go-ahead for the incinerator to be built. However, members of Hoti are preparing a legal challenge, calling on European law to help rip up the contract East Riding and Hull councils have with the incinerator operator, Waste Recycling Group (WRG).
Mr Dennis urged people to turn out in force for a march against the incinerator in Hedon tomorrow.
We are not foolish enough to think it will be a victory march, but Hoti and our supporters will certainly have a spring in their step.
A useful Defra presentation on the current state of Waste PFI bids can be found at: http://www.tenalpsevents.com/ContentFiles/1125%20JOHN%20BURNS.ppt
1Barry Robinson on Oct 2, 2009 at 2:12 pm:
Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council are joint partners in the waste contract.
Yesterday ALL councillors of each Authority were, I understood, to be given full details of the PFI situation and such issues as the District Auditor’s concern about monies wasted in connection with the waste programme.
Whren i phoned a Hull councillor last night, she was unable to tell me anything about the matter. as ‘It is all top secret’. When I asked her if she had seen the press release issued by East Riding council, her comment was, ‘What! What! What press release?’
Two councils; joint waste policy; neither really talking to the other.
On a related issue, I asked to see the 2008 / 2009 accounts of both Authorities as is my right during the public scrutiny period. Hull refused. East RIding wouldn’t let me see part of the 10-year-old waste contract.
Using what information I was allowed to see, I was able to complain to the District Auditor that
WRG may have overcharged by approx. £1.8 million in 2008 / 2009
The bill for the abortive PFI bid was probably £1.1 million in consultants’ fees alone.
£3.1 milllion is being witheld from WRG because they’re not reaching agreed recycling targets.