‘PEOPLE WANT THE SITUATION TO END’
Council under fire at special meeting
EMOTIONS were running high at a special convened full council meeting to debate the future of the stink-plagued Walleys Quarry.
Members of the public filled the public gallery at Newcastle Borough Council to hear what councillors wanted to do over the Silverdale landfill site.
Members were summoned to the meeting following a motion put forward by the Labour group who called for two judicial reviews regarding the lack of action by both the Environment Agency and the Government in protecting the residents of Newcastle borough.
However, the Conservative group sought to amend the motion to focus the council’s effort on the abatement notice process and seek further legal advice to assess whether a judicial review and other legal routes would secure an end to community suffering.
Nearly all councillors raised their hands to speak during the meeting
with many raising concerns over fatigue, delay tactics and the health impacts of hydrogen sulphide.
But after interruptions from the packed public gallery, Mayor Simon White said: “I’ll ask you one more time, you either leave or you keep your mouth closed.”
Following chanting of ‘Stop the Stink, Stop the Stink,’ some people were ordered to go.
Labour group leader, Dave Jones called the Conservative proposals a disgrace and said all it does is more of the same when what people want is definitive action.
He told councillors: “This motion will do nothing, it’s a decision to let cabinet carry on receiving reports, writing letters and get nothing done. So whilst I am forced to vote for this motion, it’s with a heavy heart that a very clear motion, that would have had decisive action was hijacked by the administration. I think because they can’t afford to stump up the £1m or perhaps for political reasons but it has completely undermined any direct action we could have had.”
Council Leader Simon Tagg said he confirmed that plans were being worked on if the site was abandoned. He said: “I am really pleased to move this.
“I hope everybody supports it because it does bring about that stated aim of calling for a closure and also it allows us to look at that judicial review but I think the other thing it allows is to do which the Labour motion wouldn’t is to continue to pursue that abatement notice as we are doing.”
After being asked to leave the meeting Lauren Currie said: “I think many residents agree that it’s being drawn out and feel that the council are drawing things out and just prolonging the situation for us.”
One campaigner said: “All people want is for the situation to end and all we’ve seen in there is councillors arguing with themselves. What good is that for us.”
The majority of members voted for the Conservative amendment.