Issue - meetings

(To receive a report by the Executive Director – Place, which seeks approval for acceptance of the invitation from Radioactive Waste Management to join a working group to explore the potential for a geological disposal facility in eastern Lincolnshire)

1.    That the invitation from Radioactive Waste Management for the Council to join a Working Group to explore the potential for a Geological Disposal Facility in eastern Lincolnshire be accepted;

2.    That the Council take up membership of any subsequent Community Partnership that may be formed;

3.    That Councillor M J Hill OBE, Leader of the Council, represent the Council on the Working Group and, if it is formed, the Community Partnership.

The Assistant Director – Growth introduced the report which set out the invitation from Radioactive Waste Management (RWM) to join a Working Group to explore further whether eastern Lincolnshire, and the former Theddlethorpe Gas Terminal site, in particular, would be an appropriate location for a geological disposal facility.  The formation of a Working Group was a government requirement, and the government's preference was that a relevant principal local authority should be part of a working group.  A similar invitation had been sent to East Lindsey District Council.

The report had been considered at the meeting of the Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee on 14 September 2021, and the comments of the scrutiny committee had been included in the report presented to the Executive.

The Assistant Director – Growth stressed that joining the working group did not mean that Lincolnshire County Council supported the concept of a geological disposal facility, and also that the working group would not be where any decision about locating a geological disposal facility would be taken.  It would be the local community, through a Public Test of Support, who would determine whether a geological disposal facility should be located in the area.  It was also highlighted that it was known that there were other commercial energy sector interests in the site as well.

The reasons why RWM had made contact with the County Council and East Lindsey District Council were explained, and also that RWM were leading on the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) sponsored project to deliver a geological disposal facility.  The aim of the project was to dispose of the UK's higher activity radioactive waste deep underground safely, and permanently.  It was also noted that RWM had indicated that a geological disposal facility could provide over 1000 construction jobs and then several hundred permanent technical and skilled jobs, as well as investment in the area's infrastructure, through flood management, transport infrastructure, road improvements etc.  However, this initial analysis would need to be verified.

The Chairman of the Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee presented the comments from the Committee's consideration of the report on 14 September 2021.  He thanked the members of the campaign group and their co-ordinator who had attended the meeting for the way they had conducted themselves and also highlighted that he had arranged for Mr Ken Smith to speak at the Committee meeting, where he had expressed the concerns of the local residents.  The Council had engaged with the campaign group in a positive and productive manner.  The comments of the Committee were set out in the report.  It was highlighted that the Committee had emphasised the importance of being part of the discussion.  Members of the Committee also recognised that this proposal could potentially address issues of deprivation in eastern Lincolnshire.  However, it was made clear that it was up to the residents to decide if they wanted such a facility in their locality.  He also clarified that the Scrutiny Committee members held no view on whether  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33