2 months ago
25
In response to a consultation by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, the UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities have called on nuclear industry bosses to spend more on projects delivering a positive social impact in communities hosting nuclear facilities.
In its recently published Social Impacts and Communities Strategy, the NDA, which is the tax-payer funded body responsible for decommissioning redundant nuclear power plants and managing radioactive waste in the UK, has commendably committed to delivering the ‘maximum positive social impact’ and leaving a ‘positive legacy’ following decommissioning.
However whilst the NFLAs welcome these commitments, they are critical that ‘the strategy paper is quite thin in detail and lacking specifics’ and describe the £15 million annual sum currently earmarked to deliver the strategy (only 0.4% of overall expenditure) as ‘an insufficient sum to ensure a ‘positive legacy’ across all sites’.
The NFLAs would like to see the NDA raise the budget in absolute terms in the short-term and to commit to making a higher percentage of revenue available in the longer-term for work of social value.
Rather than woolly aspirations, the NFLAs are also looking to the NDA to revise the strategy to include site-specific action plans identifying what activities will be delivered at each NDA-operated site, and when, particularly those which will create local jobs and apprenticeships; award local suppliers and contractors a greater share of business; reduce energy consumption on-site; and generate energy using renewable technologies. The electricity produced could be used to power decommissioning operations or be sold to the grid, creating an income that could in turn support projects of social value. Suppliers and sub-contractors engaged with NDA operations also need to awarded contracts based in part on their commitment to social value.
The strategy also fails to identify the in-kind support that NDA staff deliver to local social projects through volunteering or whether there is any commitment to supporting the creation of local social enterprises that can deliver services needed to deprived communities, create local jobs and are themselves income-generative, creating the so-called ‘virtual cycle’ where any income is spent in the local economy rather than being exported.
The NDA Consultation ends on 21 February, so responses are still being sought. Details of the consultation and the strategy can be seen at:
Ends//… For more information, please contact the NFLA Secretary Richard Outram by email to richard.outram@manchester.gov.uk
Note to Editors
Response of the UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities
to the NDA Consultation on the Social Impacts and Communities Strategy
1. Introduction
The UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities wish to respond to the NDA’s consultation.
We welcome the NDAs stated commitment ‘to deliver the maximum positive social impact’ from its activities, that these activities should be conducted with sustainability in mind, and that a ‘positive legacy’ will be left in the communities in which decommissioning occurs.
We wish at the outset to urge the NDA to build strong partnerships with local authorities, at every tier, in its operating areas as an essential component which will be vital to the achievement of success.
The six strategic themes complement the initiatives made by most local authorities to develop sustainable, thriving and economically active communities, and there will be synergies between NDA objectives and those identified in local authority plans, for example in relation to tackling climate change and promoting greater socio-economic opportunities.
2. Our Comments
It is disappointing that the strategy paper is quite thin in detail and lacking specifics.
Although in Appendix 1, you allude to certain initiatives at each site, it is particularly notable (and disappointing) that the strategy is not accompanied by a specific action plan for each site identifying the key intended deliverables and their respective deadlines / timescales.
We would simply welcome far greater detail to help judge future performance against aspirations, particularly more detail on the NDA’s commitment to create local jobs and apprenticeships; to award local suppliers and contractors a greater share of business; to reduce energy consumption on-site; and to generate energy using renewable technologies to support decommissioning operations – so reducing your carbon footprint – or to export to the grid – creating income that can support projects of social value.
It would also be interesting to know whether the NDA examines the commitment of suppliers and contractors to these objectives as a criterion in the award of contracts, and how their performance against these criteria is subsequently monitored.
We would be particularly interested to see future iterations of the strategy outline how support is targeted at more economically and socially disadvantaged communities, including case studies of work carried out to engage with, and benefit, the residents of such communities. Although the NDA may claim that Sellafield is an economic powerhouse sustaining many jobs, the benefits seem to have bypassed many of the residents of coastal towns, like Whitehaven and Workington, or places more inland, like Cleator Moor.
In addition, the sum of £15 million allocated to these activities seems very low relative to the overall size of the NDA’s budget. The recently published Business Plan suggests overall expenditure of £4.1 billion in 2024 – 25, whilst the 2022 – 23 Annual Report and Accounts reports overall expenditure at £3.759 billion.
£15 million amounts to around 0.4% of the NDA’s 2022-3 expenditure, within which at Sellafield, the NDA’s principal site, a minimum of £10 million will be allocated for local delivery (or just 0.41% of past expenditure).
£15 million appears an insufficient sum to ensure a ‘positive legacy’ across all sites. We would like the NDA to commit to significantly increase this sum in the short time and to commit to an increased percentage of revenue over time (say 2%).
We would also like to see more detail about the in-kind support that NDA staff offer to community projects, for example through the NDA permitting employees to participate in an employer-sponsored volunteering scheme.
It would also be helpful if the NDA could indicate if it will actively support the establishment of co-operatives and other social enterprises (for example of renewable energy and food), especially in deprived communities, around each site. Not only are these hugely empowering for individuals, but they are also income generative.
NDA income and support-in-kind could start such businesses enabling them to provide training and work experience for individuals excluded from the labour market, help address fuel and food poverty, and – as not-for-profit organisations – generate an income that can be redeployed locally for social action.
Interesting in its State of the Sector Report for 2022, Community Energy England reported that renewable energy co-operatives generated around the same sum as the £15 million the NDA has currently pledged for such purposes!
Thank you for considering these comments. Please in the first instance direct any response to NFLA Secretary Richard Outram by email to richard.outram@manchester.gov.uk
Yours sincerely,
Councillor Lawrence O’Neill,
Chair, UK-Ireland NFLAs
