1 week ago
20
A recent survey initiated by a Councillor representing the beleaguered ward of Theddlethorpe has comprehensively demonstrated that two years on most local people remain vehemently opposed to the imposition of a high-level radioactive waste dump on their quiet community.
First elected to represent Withern and Theddlethorpe in May 2023 on a clear platform of opposing the dump, East Lindsey District Councillor Travis Hesketh has since been assiduous in his efforts to thwart any prospect of locating a euphemistically named Geological Disposal Facility at the former Conoco gas terminal in his ward.
The GDF would comprise of a surface facility created to receive regular transhipments of Britain’s high-level radioactive waste, created from legacy and future civil nuclear power generation, and a massive sub-surface structure of myriad tunnels many hundreds of metres below the Lincolnshire countryside and pushed out from the coast under the seabed in which the waste would be deposited for eternity.
Supported by a team of residents, Councillor Hesketh organised the survey of local opinion, virtually via targeted online community platforms or in person in Mablethorpe town centre and in outlying villages, in March 2024. 1,008 people were asked how they felt about the prospect of a GDF being built in the area, using a similar question to that employed in local polling by Nuclear Waste Services in late 2023.
Respondents were asked to reply with a personal score on a scale of 1 to 10 about how they felt about the plan ‘right now’ with 1-3 representing a negative view, 4-7 a neutral view, and 8-10 a positive view. To ensure respondents felt free to say what they felt, those conducting face-to-face surveys were briefed ‘not to wear or say anything that would indicate their own personal views’ on the issue, nor was any ‘leading or lobbying carried out’.
77% of those surveyed face-to-face indicated they were opposed to the plan, whilst on online platforms up to 96% of participants were negative. Overall, of the 1,008 people surveyed, 852 (85%) indicated they were against the GDF, whilst 78 (7.7%) were undecided and a further 78 (7.7%) were in favour of the plan.
Councillor Hesketh was spurred on to conduct the latest survey after discovering that NWS polling in the autumn of last year appeared to indicate flawed results, with several participants seemingly changing their view from being negative to positive after twenty minutes of ‘persuasion’ by pollsters on the doorstep.
Last month was also exactly two years on from a survey conducted by Theddlethorpe Parish Council to which over 50% of local voters responded. In the 291 questionnaires that were returned, 247 (85%) responded no to the dump. That sentiment was also reflected in the May 2023 local election results. Over 68% of electors voted for an anti-GDF candidate in the Withern and Theddlethorpe Ward, with Cllr Travis returned after a 30% swing against the incumbent Conservative candidate. Other anti-dump Councillors were elected to serve on East Lindsey District Council for the adjoining Mablethorpe and Sutton-on-Sea Wards and onto local town and parish councils.
In the summary of his report on the last findings, Councillor Hesketh concludes: ‘After a three year project, the view of the community remains the same – this community does NOT want a GDF. It is not a willing community. There is no change of opinion taking place despite Nuclear Waste Services lobbying. It is reasonable therefore to conclude that there is no prospect of gaining community support for the GDF’.
Responding to the findings, NFLA English Forum Chair, Councillor David Blackburn said: “The Nuclear Free Local Authorities wish to commend and congratulate Councillor Hesketh and his team of local supporters in carrying out this comprehensive survey. It is to their credit that they have completed this project involving hard work and the production of a most interesting and enlightening report at no cost to the taxpayer.
“The NFLAs have been consistent in supporting local campaigners in opposing unwanted plans for a GDF in Cumbria and Lincolnshire. A GDF should only come to a community that clearly wants it and this survey makes clear that the people of Theddlethorpe, Mablethorpe, and Sutton-on-Sea continue to say NO.
“This local defiance continues despite Nuclear Waste Services using taxpayer money for three years to invite residents to numerous public consultation events; publish and distribute regular newsletters; maintain and update an online presence; and establish a local Community Partnership employing an everlasting ‘Interim’ Chair at great public expense.
“In addition, local community groups have been offered the ‘inducement’ of applying for grants from a £1 million annual fund, an opportunity notably snubbed, and ‘promises’ have been made of thousands of new local jobs and the restoration of a passenger railway line, notably unbelieved.
“The guidelines covering the selection of a site for the GDF give Nuclear Waste Services the right to withdraw from a Search Area if it is clear such a plan will not get public support. It is now long overdue for NWS and Nuclear Minister Andrew Bowie to recognise that Theddlethorpe will never be a ‘willing community’ and withdraw from the area, as they did recently in South Holderness. We shall be writing to them on the matter.”
Ends//… For more information please contact the NFLA Secretary Richard Outram by email at richard.outram@manchester.gov.uk
