1 month ago
23
It’s a shocker: nuclear industry finally comes clean on cost of South Holderness Chair appointment.
After some prevarication, Nuclear Waste Services has finally revealed to the UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities the cost of engaging an independent Chair for the nascent South Holderness GDF Working Group – and it’s a shocker.
NWS announced the establishment of the Working Group and the appointment of its independent Chair Dr David Richards in late January, with the intention of taking forward investigations to determine the ‘suitability’ of South Holderness in East Yorkshire as a potential location for a Geological Disposal Facility, or nuclear waste dump, which would be the permanent deep repository for Britain’s high-level legacy and future nuclear waste.
The news met with an immediate hostile public response with over 1,400 residents joining the South Holderness GDF Action group, which vigorously lobbied local Councillors to exercise their right to withdraw the support of East Riding Council from such a plan. In a near unanimous decision, at their February meeting, Councillors chose to do so, ending the process after less than one month, with NWS shortly thereafter conceding defeat, announcing that they would no longer be pursuing the plan.
Shortly after the appointment of Dr Richards, NFLA Secretary Richard Outram sent in a Freedom of Information Act request seeking details of the cost to the taxpayer of his engagement as independent Chair. Richard has previously secured similar information relating to the continued engagement of an Interim Chair at Theddlethorpe. In January, we revealed that Jon Collins continues to be paid £750 a day for his services, six times the average daily wage in East Lindsey, and the date for the termination of his appointment remain uncertain.[1]
Nuclear Waste Services is a largely taxpayer-funded body, and in the case of South Holderness the cost to taxpayers of the independent Chair’s engagement would have been far higher – with a fee of £1,350 A DAY payable to the agency through which Dr Richards has been employed. If engaged as expected for two days a week, over a full year this would have amounted to a potential payment to the agency of £140,400.
Councillor David Blackburn, Chair of the NFLAs English Forum, said: “We do not know how much of this fee Dr Richards is contractually entitled to receive, but at Theddlethorpe Jon Collins was initially renumerated £1,000 a day whilst acting as Chair of the Working Group, so I cannot blame Dr Richards for taking on the role, because, even after the agency’s cut, the pay would be quite lucrative”.
However, following the East Riding Council decision to withdraw, NWS has confirmed that it will be a short-lasting position as Dr Richard’s ‘contract end-date is now mid-April’.
Councillor Blackburn added: “As at Theddlethorpe, there is a marked contrast between the renumeration that the position of Chair of the Working Group / Community Partnership attracts, and average earnings in the prospective host community with the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings from the Office of National Statistics recording median earnings for employees in the East Riding of Yorkshire at only £607 PER WEEK, a day rate less than one tenth that paid to the agency.”[2]
For more information, please contact the NFLA Secretary Richard Outram by email to richard.outram@manchester.gov.uk
Notes to Editors
The FOI request submitted by NFLA Secretary Richard Outram on 1 Feb 2024:
Dear NWS colleagues,
Please treat this as a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act.
The South Holderness GDF Working Group has recently been established and Dr David Richards has been appointed Independent Chair of the Working Group.
Please can you advise if Dr Richards has been appointed on a renumerated basis?
If so please can you tell me:
- On what date Dr Richards was appointed?
- Who was responsible for appointing Dr Richards?
- What day rate Dr Richards will receive in this role?
- How many days per week or month Dr Richards will be engaged on this basis?
- For what period has Dr Richards been appointed as Independent Chair?
Many thanks
Richard Outram, BA (Hons),
Secretary, UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities and
C/o City Policy, Manchester City Council
The response from NWS received 19 March 2024 (respondent anonymised by NFLAs):
Dear Richard Outram,
Ref: FOI 024074
Thank you for your information request received on 1 February for the following:
The South Holderness GDF Working Group has recently been established and Dr David Richards has been appointed Independent Chair of the Working Group.
Please can you advise if Dr Richards has been appointed on a renumerated basis?
If so please can you tell me:
1. On what date Dr Richards was appointed?
2. Who was responsible for appointing Dr Richards?
3. What day rate Dr Richards will receive in this role?
4. How many days per week or month Dr Richards will be engaged on this basis?
5. For what period has Dr Richards been appointed as Independent Chair?
Further to our response dated 29 February extending the deadline, we have treated your request under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, and I confirm that we hold the information you have requested. We have now reviewed the public interest test factors for the exemption at Section 43(2) of the FOI Act and consider that the public interest lies in disclosing the information. This is provided below:
1. Dr Richards’ appointment starts from 7 December 2023
2. The appointment was made by NWS as part of the formation of the South Holderness GDF Working Group.
3. We do not hold information on the day rate that Dr Richards receives because he has been hired via an agency. NWS pays the agency a day rate of £1350.
4. Dr Richards was engaged for up to 2 days per week.
5. Dr Richards was appointed for an initial six-month period. Following the decision by East Riding of Yorkshire Council to withdraw from the siting process, the contract end date is now mid-April.
Kind regards,
Nuclear Waste Services
XXX
Information Governance Specialist
Information Security and Governance (IS&G)
Nuclear Waste Services
www.nuclearwasteservices.uk
