Quick win for SW WIN…
Freedom Central, an independent collaborative website run by Welsh Liberal Democrat activists and described as: “One of the most interesting new Welsh blogs this year”, is reporting that South Wales Without Incineration Network (SW WIN) succeeded in applying pressure on Plaid Cymru regarding Plaid’s anti-incineration pledges.
Under the heading Question marks on Plaid Cymru election pledge Freedom Central published the following piece on 27th March 2011:
Yesterday’s Western Mail reports that the realities of being the junior partner in a governing coalition was visited upon the Plaid Cymru Conference when the South Wales Without Incineration Network (WIN) turned up to press AMs, councillors and activists not to abandon their 2010 pledge to oppose the Prosiect Gwyrdd programme, which has won support from the Welsh Assembly Government.
The £1.1bn project privately funded over 25 years could, says WIN, see multiple incinerators built in South Wales, while WAG’s target to recycle 70% of rubbish by 2023 falls short of a possible 80% to 90% recycled.
A spokesman, speaking as Plaid Cymru holds its conference at Cardiff’s Wales Millennium Centre, argued:
Plaid’s 2010 election manifesto is clear – 80% recycling and composting by 2020 and opposing the use of waste incinerators. It’s high time Plaid condemned WAG’s rotten targets with subsidies for incinerators. Shoving more waste up a chimney and spewing toxic emissions into the air will undermine recycling, not increase it.
WIN also insists incineration poses public health risks with toxic emissions and huge amounts of hazardous ash sent to landfill.
It wants Plaid to oppose all waste incinerators and demand an independent review of PFI projects such as Prosiect Gwyrdd with much fuller information about them.
However, a spokeswoman for Plaid Cymru told the paper that:
Plaid’s commitment is to overhauling planning policy so that decisions in relation to waste can be made close to the people and serve the needs of communities. Local people need to have a voice in that process.
So that is a no to supporting WIN then and yes to a complete u-turn on their manifesto promise.