 |
| SDC Labour leader Mick Lerry 'welcomes community benefit announcement' |
Labour leader Cllr Mick Lerry said "The Labour Group have
lobbied Caroline Flint, Shadow Secretary of State for DECC, and she
asked about Community Benefit when the announcement was made on the
building of Hinkley C However the Labour Group also wants Community
Benefit to be given to the community and Bridgwater during the
construction stage of Hinkley C and for the extension of the existing
Nuclear Power Stations, where the operation stage has been extended".
The
proposals will see the local communities around Hinkley Point C
compensated at a rate of £1,000 per Megawatt for the entire operation
of the plant. With Hinkley Point C expected to be in operation for 40
years, this could amount to £128 million
in funding. The money could be used for a range of local projects
for those who will not see any direct and tangible benefits themselves,
such as facilities for the elderly and measures to address fuel poverty.
The Labour Group has been playing a key role on SDC as part of cross party
campaigning on community benefit contributions for five years,
negotiating with Ministers, MPs and civil servants and
consistently raising this issue in Parliament, and the Council is
delighted to see all this hard work come to fruition.
A Sedgemoor spokesperson said "This
announcement will mean the local community will be justly compensated
for hosting what is a major national infrastructure project,
required in order to meet a national need, but where the impacts are
felt locally. This represents a fair settlement for the community
affected and ensures consistency with similar forms of community benefit
for onshore wind and shale gas."
No comments:
Post a Comment