07/08/03 - New report highlights social and economic impacts of changes at Sellafield on local community

A new Report released today sets out the economic and social impacts of future business scenarios for BNFL's Sellafield site on the economy of West Cumbria.   

The Report - "West Cumbria Socio-Economic Study" - is published by The Environment Council and was commissioned from ERM on behalf of the BNFL National Stakeholder Dialogue. The Report - which is based on BNFL's 2002 corporate plan - examines the potential socio-economic impact arising from different future commercial scenarios, which were developed as part of the BNFL National Dialogue. A Steering Group to oversee the drafting of the Report was appointed with members drawn from a broad range of stakeholders including local authorities, greens, trade unions as well as BNFL.   

The report provides a detailed and clear assessment of the likely future contribution of Sellafield to the West Cumbrian economy. It forecasts future employment levels at Sellafield based on BNFL's current plan and on a range of alternative scenarios developed as part of the Dialogue's optioneering process. The report suggests that for the next decade, the current 12,000 on site jobs will largely be maintained and could increase but that thereafter, on site jobs could fall significantly.   

The full implications on employment, economic activity and population in the study are spelled out in the Report - available on-line at www.the-environment-council.org.uk      

"The Northwest Development Agency welcomes this report, which gives an indication of the challenges and opportunities ahead" said Steven Broomhead - Chief Executive of the Northwest Development Agency. "This Agency is already working with local authorities in Cumbria and the two Regeneration Companies to maximise the opportunities associated with the emerging nuclear clean up industry and is committed to ensuring that West Cumbria is well prepared to make the transition needed in order to maintain employment levels and economic growth in the long term. In due course the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority will arrive in West Cumbria and this provides a unique opportunity for the area and North West Region as a whole to be at the forefront of a new industry that has international potential and in doing so create new jobs and growth. The first step is to understand the implications of the NDA's plans for the Sellafield site - as its new owner - and hence we have committed to carry out a further in depth study into the economic and social impacts of the clean up programme."   

Rex Toft the Leader of Cumbria County Council comments,     

"We very much welcome the new report, which implies a number of years of continued employment at Sellafield, and, with the coming of the NDA HQ to Cumbria, an opportunity to enhance economic development in West Cumbria. Nevertheless we recognise that serious problems lie ahead with major reductions in employment likely early in the next decade - which means we need to act now to ensure a prosperous long-term future for West Cumbria as activity at Sellafield increasingly focuses on decommissioning."