Row as council meeting on Wylfa Newydd lasts just 3 minutes:
A PLANNED discussion over the future of Anglesey’s suspended Wylfa Newydd project has been branded a “waste of time and money” after the emergency session lasted less than three minutes.
On Monday, a special full meeting was conveyed on the request of Anglesey’s main opposition group to discuss the fallout of the recent announcement that Hitachi was pressing the “pause button” on plans for a new nuclear plant near Cemaes.
But before any discussion could get under way, the motion was dramatically withdrawn by the same group that activated the meeting after five of its members had requested so in writing.
According to the Annibynnwyr Môn group, they had hoped to hold an open discussion, but as this was likely to be thwarted due to legal advice they were unwilling to continue at this stage.
According to advice from the authority’s legal department, any discussion would have to take place behind closed doors due to the potential of commercially sensitive information being disclosed.
Group leader, Cllr Bryan Owen, said: “I’d sent an email to the chief executive on Thursday, stating that we were withdrawing our request.
“We were of the view that the issue was of great interest to the public but do not feel that a meeting behind closed doors is in the public interest. I do apologise to you all for having to come here, we did hope that we’d have been able to stop the meeting on Thursday but were advised this was not possible.”
Council chair, Cllr Dylan Rees, confirmed that it was not possible to cancel the meeting after the mechanism to force the extraordinary meeting had been activated.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Owen said that the group will discuss their next steps over the coming weeks.
But Plaid Cymru councillor Nicola Roberts said: “Having finished work early and travelled from Caernarfon to Llangefni to attend an extraordinary meeting called by the opposition, after two minutes it was all over as the opposition no longer felt they needed the meeting to take place. What a complete waste of time and money, especially when funds are so tight at the moment.”
The first Development Consent Order (DCO) hearing on Wylfa Newydd was held in October 2018, with the six month long inquiry headed by a five member panel. Once they have made a decision, their recommendation on whether to grant planning permission for the proposed power station will be forwarded to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Greg Clark.
Noting their view any open discussion on Wylfa Newydd fails to pass the public interest test, the council officers’ recommendation noted: “The public discussion of commercially sensitive and financial matters may imperil any intention to proceed with the project.
“A public discussion of the detail of the matter may prejudice the Council’s stand in the ongoing Public Inquiry.
“There may be a need to give legal advice on the matter and its implications and that such advice should not be given in public.”