Incineration deal leaves Bristol "vulnerable" say experts
January 7, 2009 12:00 AM
On the eve of the Labour Cabinet's decision whether or not to proceed with the controversial PFI deal for an incinerator, experts are claiming that it doesn't make financial sense.
Liberal Democrats called in Labour's decision to proceed with the 'Outline Business Case' (OBC) at the end of last year on the grounds that it didn't take into account all the information available. The cost of the scheme under PFI is estimated by the Council at a massive £615.5M.
Now the Labour Cabinet are seeing their plans under attack not only by their political opponents but by internationally recognised consultants, waste firms and by Friends of the Earth. The demonstration against the plans is taking place at the Council House at 4.45pm on Thursday 8th January, before the Cabinet meeting. Will Labour really be able, and will they want to continue when faced by such a wide spectrum of opposition?
Cllr Gary Hopkins says: "The Council's support of an incinerator is becoming more untenable by the hour. We have been trying to get it over to them for months that an incinerator will cost us more and result in less recycling than other, cleaner, options such as pyrolysis. Instead Cllr Mark Bradshaw and his friends seem hell-bent on tying this Council into a massively expensive, ineffective, PFI deal that will haunt taxpayers for decades to come. This will be an enormous fixed high interest mortgage for the next 25 years for Bristol taxpayers.
"I can't find anyone who thinks building an incinerator is a good idea - except people paid by the Council."
Alan Watson from Public Interest Consultants, who advise the Welsh Assembly on waste matters, is amongst those commenting at tomorrow's Cabinet meeting. Mr Watson has advised:
"It is clear that the current Outline Business Case and supporting papers leave the authorities vulnerable to higher costs; compromised recycling rates and poor environmental performance in relation to the proposed grate incinerator based waste management strategy.
"I would strongly recommend that the Cabinet should seek an independent peer review of the OBC before the application proceeds further."
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