A plea to withdraw from a controversial waste incinerator project has been rejected.
Darlington Borough Council voted against a Conservative motion to withdraw from the Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility (TVERF), telling councillors it would pose the “greatest financial risk” and is the “best option”.
The incinerator is projected to burn 450,000 tonnes of residual waste a year from its site at Teesworks near Grangetown, with local authorities including Darlington and Durham signed up.
Critics of the scheme have raised long-standing concerns over its cost and environmental impact.
Jonathan Dulston, Conservative Party leader, urged council leaders to explore alternative solutions. He said: “We have time on our hands to look at other solutions that will be more cost-effective to the taxpayer. We don’t believe this fixation that we can only do this. We have an opportunity to be strong and pull out of this process.”
The TVERF is scheduled to open in 2029 and is reported to generate enough electricity to power 60,000 homes, as well as saving nearly 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year compared to landfill.
The contract for the £2.1 billion scheme is set to run for up to 40 years.
Yet, Green Party councillors also warned of the huge financial commitment to the council. Matthew Snedker, group leader, said: “I strongly believe that the alternative of continuing and improving our current waste processing contract has not been fully investigated. The price differential between what we are signing up for has not been fully measured.
“There is a potential that Darlington taxpayers will be paying more if we do not fully investigate this.”
But the financial concerns over the scheme were played down by Labour leaders, who praised the economic and social value benefits of the site.
Libby McCollom, cabinet member for local services, said: “The financial basis for this project is sound and has been carefully analysed by a third-party financial consultant to ensure that the partners are getting value for money.
“Staying with this project guarantees that Darlington can continue to discharge our statutory duty to protect our local environment by safely, sustainably and affordably managing the residual waste collected in our area. And that we can do this with financial security, stability.
“Withdrawing from this project and sitting on our hands, burying our heads, poses the greatest financial and environmental risk to the authority.”
The Conservative motion was voted down by 25 votes to 15.
