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| Cllr Mick Lerry leading the Labour campaign for Community Benefit |
As part of SDC's cross party lobbying to try and secure community benefits for communities hosting nuclear power stations, I have been involved in the following activities with Bob Brown, Corporate Director, to present the community benefits argument to key politicians in the Labour Party.
In September just before the Labour Party Conference, Bob
Brown and I visited Caroline Flint MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and
Climate Change, to discuss community benefits. This was a very productive
meeting and Caroline Flint MP did table a number of written questions in
support of SDC's campaign, as reported in Hansard:
Caroline
Flint: To
ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to
announce a public consultation on community benefits for new nuclear power.
Mr
Hayes: There
are currently no plans to publicly consult further on community benefits for
new nuclear. It is important that a package for community benefits is set out
as quickly as possible to provide clarity for local communities. In recent
years DECC has consulted extensively with
local authorities, parish councils and community groups, including seeking
their views on community benefits, and this dialogue will continue.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
if his Department will take steps to ensure that any future policy on business
rate retention for new nuclear power allows for the community to benefit at the
construction phase as well as the operational phases of development.
Brandon Lewis: Our proposals for business
rates retention will enable authorities to benefit from growth in business
rates revenues generated in their area. Business rates are due for payment when
individual hereditaments are considered to have become fit for beneficial
occupation. The question of when that applies will be a matter for the local
valuation officer.
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| Labour MP Caroline Flint, putting the case in Parliament |
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
whether his Department has commissioned analysis of international examples of
community benefit models for nuclear power; and whether he plans to draw on any
such models in formulating future policy on nuclear power.
Mr Hayes: International models have
been examined and considered as part of the process for developing proposals on
community benefits for sites that host new nuclear power stations in the UK.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of
State for Energy and Climate Change on how many occasions he and officials in
his Department have met with their counterparts in (a) the Department for Communities and
Local Government, (b) HM Treasury,(c) the Cabinet Office and (d) other departments to discuss the issue
of (i) community benefits and (ii) business rate retention for new build
nuclear projects.
Mr Hayes: Ministers have discussed
this issue with counterparts from other interested Departments at Cabinet
Committee discussions of Infrastructure and the Growth and Localism agendas.
There has also been a series of regular and ad hoc meetings between officials
over the last eight months with the aim of bringing forward proposals for
community benefits for sites that host new nuclear power stations by the end of
2012.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of
State for Energy and Climate Change on how many occasions he and officials in
his Department have (a) met with representatives of and (b) visited local communities affected by
the proposed Hinkley Point C development.
Mr Hayes: Since the original public
consultation in 2007 which led to the publication of the Nuclear White Paper in
2008 officials from my Department have made a
series of visits to the Hinkley Point area to meet representatives of
interested parties, including four visits in the last few months. We intend
that these contacts should continue and have established a Strategic
Development Forum to facilitate this.
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| Labour Councillor Leigh Redman discussing Community benefit in Unity House with Labour MP Ben Bradshaw |
Caroline
Flint: To
ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's
policy is on (a) community
benefits and (b) business rate retention for new-build
nuclear projects.
Mr Hayes: Proposals on community benefits for
sites that host new nuclear power stations are currently under consideration.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for
Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government and (b) the Chancellor of the Exchequer on
community benefit for new nuclear power.
Mr Hayes: Ministers have discussed this issue
with counterparts from other interested Departments at Cabinet Committee
discussions of Infrastructure and the Growth and Localism agendas.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for
Energy and Climate Change what work his Department has undertaken to take
forward the proposals of the Science and Technology Select Committee in its
report, Devil's bargain: Energy risks and the public, for the use of
partnership models and community benefits in the new nuclear build process.
Mr Hayes: The Department is currently developing
proposals for community benefits for sites that host new nuclear power
stations; these proposals are being developed in consideration of the
recommendations of the Science and Technology Committee report.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for
Energy and Climate Change with reference to page 62 of the National
Infrastructure Plan 2011, what steps his Department takes to bring forward
proposals by 2012 for reform of the community benefit regime with regard to
nuclear power.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the National Infrastructure Plan 2011, whether community benefit will be available to communities that are affected by a new nuclear development hosted by a neighbouring authority.
Mr Hayes: The Department is
currently considering proposals for a community benefit package for communities
hosting new nuclear. Details of any decisions will be made available by the end
of 2012.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of
State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the National
Infrastructure Plan 2011, what plans are in place for achieving community
benefit for communities affected by Hinkley Point C.
Mr Hayes: Plans for a community
benefit package for sites that host new nuclear power stations are currently
under consideration. The National Infrastructure Plan committed Government to
bring forward proposals by the end of 2012.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
what consideration he has given to extending business rate retention to include
low-carbon energy projects.
Brandon Lewis: The Government's proposals
for business rates retention will enable local authorities to benefit from the
business rates paid by all businesses in their area, including those from
low-carbon energy projects.
As members will see the questions tabled by Caroline Flint MP
relate to Hinkley C and the issues regarding the retention of extra business
rates for hosting communities. Caroline Flint MP also explained that she would
forward details of our discussion to her own team and the shadow teams in the
Treasury and Communities and Local Government.
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| Labour Baroness Jan Royall who recently visited Bridgwater to support the case for Community Benefit |
Baroness Jan Royall has also visited Bridgwater and she will raise
a debate in the House of Lords, on economic growth and community benefits for
major developments. Baroness Royall has been helpful in trying to arrange a
meeting with Hilary Benn MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and
Local Government. This meeting will take place on November 7th, where I will be
able to discuss how the business rate can be connected to community benefits,
for hosting communities.
Cllr Mick Lerry
Leader of the Labour Group on Sedgemoor District Council25th October 2012
