28/10/2008 - Cabinet to consider 'expressing interest' in nuclear waste repository

County Councillors will next week consider whether to 'express an interest' in the formal Government process to find a location for a deep geological nuclear waste repository in Cumbria.

The recommendation from council officers going before Cumbria County Council's cabinet on Tuesday (4 November) - to make a without commitment ‘expression of interest’ - would allow the county council to discuss the best solution with the Government for disposing of higher level radioactive waste, but would not involve any commitment that Cumbria will eventually host an underground repository. 

This move follows a ‘soundings’ process already carried out by the county council, where the views of local partners and key stakeholders have been canvassed on whether the county council should express an interest. That soundings process revealed substantial support for county council engagement with the Government’s programme to site a geological disposal facility and good support for a county council expression of interest.

A nuclear waste repository would have major implications for the whole of Cumbria so the county council is keen to express intent and take full part in the debate as well as working with other stakeholders. 

The recommendation being considered at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday November 4 is as follows:

"That Cabinet, on behalf of County Council, makes a without commitment ‘expression of interest’ in Managing Radioactive Waste Safely for the Copeland area in view of the nuclear waste legacy at the Sellafield site and the need to minimise the future movement of waste."

The county council has already welcomed the Government’s ‘bottom-up’ approach based on volunteerism, which will allow communities themselves to decide whether they want to explore the possibility of hosting a deep geological repository rather than having one imposed on them. 

Expressing an interest is the first stage in a comprehensive process, outlined in the Managing Radioactive Waste Safely white paper, to find a repository. To express an interest means that Cumbria County Council can plan a community engagement process, which gauges local opinion on whether an area within Cumbria should be considered for hosting a repository.

Key issues, such as what community support packages are acceptable, details on the long-term environmental safety and local views on site locations can then be considered. The county council has the right to withdraw from the siting process at any time before a firm decision is made.

Cllr Tim Knowles, Cumbria County Council's cabinet member responsible for nuclear issues, said:

"Next week’s decision is an important one, but I must stress that we’re not making any commitments that Cumbria is the right place to have a nuclear waste repository. That decision can only be made after thorough community consultation and a long process of looking at any proposal in far more detail.

"However, as 70% of the country’s higher level nuclear waste is already stored at Sellafield and the area is at the heart of Britain’s nuclear industry, it’s clear that we need to be talking to Government about the best long-term solution. Any decision to locate a repository in Copeland or any other part of Cumbria would have massive implications for the whole county –so it is vitally important the county council are at the table and able to participate in the process.

"The decision will allow us to talk to local people and key stakeholders to find out what they think. The dialogue will take time, effort and resources and the Government will need to back the process every step of the way so that the local decision making process is robust, transparent and durable."

Cabinet meets at County Offices, Kendal, at 10am on Tuesday (4 November). 

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