Council leaders face a growing backlash over their support for a new waste incinerator.
The Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility (TVERF) is projected to burn 450,000 tonnes of residual waste a year from its site at Teesworks near Grangetown.
However, critics have labelled it a “monster incinerator” while warning of the impact on the local community’s health. Developers in charge of the plans say the facility will be safe and sustainable.
Waste from thousands of homes across the region, including Darlington and County Durham, will be burned at the facility.
A decision is due soon on whether to award waste operator Viridor a 30-year contract for the proposed facility, with the local authorities involved, who are sharing the procurement costs, each giving their own sign-off.
Ahead of the key vote, Darlington Borough Council has been urged to hold a public debate on the controversial plans.
Matthew Snedker, leader of the Darlington Green Party, said: “It’s a huge contract and I don’t want to misrepresent the complexity of it, but for something that will last for decades, for a decision like that not to be aired and voted on by councillors in public is a dereliction.”
Darlington Borough Council last month said it continues to back the scheme, but Cllr Snedker warned this week that “there are a raft of unanswered questions”.
The College ward cllr added: “Will you bring a vote to the September cabinet meeting prior to signing off the contract on the TVERF, so that the public can see the decision being made?”
The plea for the council to be transparent with the public was supported by Conservative Party leader Jonathan Dulston, who initially questioned the council’s position in June.
He told a cabinet meeting: “I’m hearing multiple local authorities are on the brink of pulling out. Darlington should take the lead and be the first to move. I’m very concerned about the commercial setup of what we’re about to get into.”
Image : Darlington Council
Claims of other local authorities pulling out of supporting the incinerator were played down, however, with Alec Brown, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, recently saying all partners remain committed to the scheme.
Responding to the comments, Labour Council Leader Stephen Harker said: “You are rehearsing discussions and decisions that were made some time ago. Some of your colleagues elsewhere in the Tees Valley are making confusing and misleading statements about the decision-making process with this.”
