PRESS CLIPPINGS
There have been many articles published in the local press about the campaign - if we have missed any please email here - we look forward to your contributions!
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25-09-08 - News Guardian
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20-09-08 - News Guardian
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21-08-08 - News Guardian
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14-08-08 - News Guardian
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14-08-08 MP Stephen Byers - News Guardian
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31-07-08 - News Post Leader
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24-07-08 - News Guardian
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17-07-08 - News Guardian
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26-07-06 - News Guardian
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04-05-06 - News Guardian
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North East and Cumbria: Loads of rubbish
Michael Wild
Political Editor BBC North East and Cumbria
Why would a Tyneside council hand over more than a million pounds to town hall bosses in Westminster - one of the richest local authorities in the UK?
It is a curious story - but the short answer is "rubbish".
There are tough new rules aimed at cutting down the amount of waste that local councils are allowed to bury in landfill sites.
Which is fine if - like Durham County Council - you are ahead of the game in recycling.
But what of those councils which have not yet found an alternative place to put their rubbish other than in giant holes in the ground?
Well it is going to cost them big-time.
Take North Tyneside for example - they expect to be up to 70,000 tonnes over their allocated landfill limit by 2008 which would mean a whopping fine of £10m.
So where does Westminster council fit in? They are 300 miles away in the South East?
Well instead of sitting back and waiting to be fined, councils are able to buy "landfill allowances" from other local authorities which are more green minded.
These are termed Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS) and it is rather like trading stocks and shares.
Councils can buy LATS from other local authorities which have got landfill space to spare by paying them the going rate.
So North Tyneside has purchased LATS from Westminster Council in London at a rate of £1.3m.
The rubbish does not get taken to London - but it does give North Tyneside the right to dump more of it in their own area.
You can find out more about the scheme - and which of the North's councils are buying or selling on the Politics Show.
And we are live at the site of one of the most controversial landfill proposals at Seghill hearing from residents about why they do not want more rubbish dumped on their doorstep.
Politics Show
There is also a special profile of Darlington MP and former Health Secretary, Alan Milburn MP.
He will outline his vision for the North East economy and talks personally about his views on what the region needs to do to close the North South divide, ahead of the forthcoming regional economic summit.
That is the Politics Show, Sunday 11 November at 12.10pm with Richard Moss and Gerry Jackson.
from BBC News site - 13th November 2005
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Landfill plan sparks protest
Action: Seghill residents protest near the Sita landfill site
Evening Chronicle – Monday October 24 2005
VILLAGERS turned out in force to protest against plans to extend a landfill site in the middle of a rural community.
Dozens of placard-carrying supporters held a two-hour vigil at the entrance to the landfill site in Seghill, Northumberland.
Demonstrators from the No To Landfill campaign are fighting a planning application by waste management firm Sita to extend the site and continue dumping rubbish there for another 17 years.
They did not try to prevent lorries going in or out.
Campaign chairman, former North Tyneside councillor Lindsay Perks, said: “The purpose is to demonstrate that the community is prepared to turn out and hold a vigil to express its objections to these plans.”
“We've suffered 40 years of landfill dumping at Seghill, a further 17 years is proposed and local people believe enough is enough.”
“Planning applications have gone in to the two local authorities and both are seeking further information from Sita, so we don't expect any decisions to be made until the New Year.”
Sita says the site has enough capacity for waste to be dumped there until 2008 and has applied to both Northumberland County Council and North Tyneside Borough Council for permission to expand it.
It wants to double the site's four-million-cubic-metre capacity.
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Protest at the gates against tip plans
The Journal - Saturday, October 22, 2005
Villagers fighting plans to continue dumping waste at a long-running tip will step up their campaign today by staging a protest at the site gates.
Dozens of placard-carrying supporters plan to hold a peaceful, two-hour vigil at the entrance to the landfill site in Seghill, Northumberland.
The demonstration aims to underline the continuing and unified support of people in the area over plans which would see dumping continue for another 17 years.
Supporters of the No To Landfill campaign were due to be at the Seghill gates from 9:30am.
They do not plan to cause any disruption or try to prevent lorries going in or out.
The protest group was launched to represent people in the neighbouring villages of Seghill, Seaton Delaval, Holywell, Backworth and Earsdon , straddling the Northumberland/North Tyneside border.
They are horrified at plans by waste management company SITA UK to double the quantity of rubbish at the site.
Dumping at Seghill has gone on for 40 years and many people in the area say they are not prepared to see it carry on until 2022.
SITA says the site has enough capacity for waste to be dumped there until 2008 and has applied to both Northumberland County Council and North Tyneside Borough Council for permission to expand it.
The No To Landfill campaign is chaired by former North Tyneside councillor Lindsay Perks, a retired systems analyst from Whitley Bay.
He said: “The purpose of the protest is to demonstrate that the local community is prepared to turn-out and hold a vigil to express their objections to these plans.”
“We have suffered 40 years of landfill dumping at Seghill, a further 17 years is proposed and local people believe enough is enough.
“Planning applications have gone in to the two local authorities and both are seeking further information from SITA, so we don’t expect any decisions to be made until the New Year.”
Campaigners, who were looking forward to the site winding down and closing in the next 18 months, say expanding it would affect rights of way and threaten green belt and a wildlife corridor.
SITA wants to double the site’s four million cubic-metre capacity.
The company says the site extension would ensure Northumberland and North Tyneside have dumping space until 2022.
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Landfill protest slams contract
A TWENTY year contract to handle North Tyneside’s waste in not enforceable, full of holes, and needs to be scrapped, campaigners claim.
News Guardian – Friday October 21 2005
Under the Freedom of Information Act the ‘No to Landfill’ campaign group has obtained a copy of a 1997 deal between North Tyneside Council and waste management company Sita.
In the contract Sita agreed to handle 80,000 tonnes of the borough’s waste with 60,000 being burnt at a waste-to-energy facility in Billingham on Teesside, and the remaining 20,000 being buried at a landfill site in Ellington, near Ashington.
But last year only 7,000 tonnes of North Tyneside’s waste went to Billingham while the rest ended up in landfill at Seghill, not Ellington.
“When the contract to handle the borough’s waste went out to tender Sita made a lovely presentation to the council in November 1996 over its huge waste capacity and why they were the best choice,” said Alan Fidler, co-ordinator of the No to Landfill group.
“But they have constantly failed to meet the targets they themselves have set.” However, Sita claim they are fully complying with the terms of the contract.
A spokesperson said: “The council and Sita UK have worked closely together to meet the challenges that arise within our contractual term and Sita UK is fully complying with its obligations under the waste disposal contract.”
In presentation documents shown to the council Sita said the Billingham facility has an annual capacity of 225,000 tonnes, with a deal already signed with the four Teesside boroughs to burn 160,000, leaving North Tyneside with the rest.
“If this happened North Tyneside would be burning around 75 per cent of its waste, meaning it would be way ahead of the government’s target to divert 40 per cent of waste away from landfill by 2020,” said Mr Fidler.
“So clearly North Tyneside snapped up the deal, but the contract they signed is abysmal. It is full of holes and has no ‘teeth’. It’s just not enforceable.”
In the document Sita has an obligation to use ‘up to’ 25 per cent of the capacity at Billingham for North Tyneside’s waste.
“But this means they could use only one per cent of the capacity for North Tyneside and still be abiding with the contract,” said Mr Fidler.
“Which is why the majority of our waste has gone to Seghill, not Billingham, and there is nothing North Tyneside Council can do about it.
“Let us not forget the site at Seghill was supposed to last until 2014.
“I knew the contract with the council was flawed but I never imagined it could be so bad until I saw it for myself.”
The closest Sita came to burning 60,000 tonnes of North Tyneside’s waste was in 2000 when 37,000 tonnes were taken to Billingham.
A spokesperson for Sita added: “The planning application for Seghill is based upon the regional landfill capacity requirements for all waste arisings, and again under this best case landfill diversion and recycling scenario means that there will still be a need for over ten million m3 of landfill capacity between now and 2020.”
A North Tyneside Council spokesperson said: “Government targets and legislation on waste have changed dramatically in the last ten years and North Tyneside Council has beaten current targets on recycling for instance.
“We are continually working with Sita to deliver new waste targets and to get the best deal in terms of waste management for the borough.”
online article
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05-10-06 - News Guardian
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Seaton Delaval, Seghill
The Evening Chronicle - October 4 2005
Campaigners fighting against plans to extend the Seghill landfill site have won the support of three North Tyneside Valley ward councillors. Brian Burdis, Carole Gambling and Angela Potter have pledged to support the fight against SITA extending site use until 2022.
Seaton Delaval and Holywell Residents Association now has a new venue at the church hall and would like to invite all residents of the area to their monthly meetings The next meeting is on Thursday October 6th at 7pm.
Trish Baston
online article
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Changes in lifestyle are necessary
News Guardian - Thursday September 29 2005
A CHANGE in people's lifestyles and behaviour is essential if the UK is to catch up to European recycling rates, campaigners believe.
The UK is near the bottom of the league with only 23 per cent of waste being recycled, compared to Norway’s 68 per cent and Germany’s 57 per cent.
England’s north east is also one of the worst regions, with only 16 per cent of waste being recycled.
And campaigners opposed to an extension of the landfill at Seghill believe this must change if people are to be successful in reducing the amount of green space being used for landfill.
At a meeting of the No To Landfill campaign group, Councillor Brian Burdis said there needs to be an educational drive to change people’s behaviour.
“If we are saying we don’t want to landfill waste then we have to look at how we can reduce the amount of waste in the first place,” he said.
“Landfill is the last bastion of legalised pollution and we must work hard to get rid of it.
“I believe most people are prepared to put their rubbish into two or three separate bins, but we need a push from the government to make it happen.
“The UK is one of the worst recycling countries in Europe and we should be ashamed.
“If there is a drive to change some people may complain at first but we need to look at our own behaviour and how we can help.”
In Denmark only eight per cent of all waste goes to landfill, compared to three quarters of the UK’s waste.
Lindsay Perks, chairman of the No to Landfill campaign group, said: “These figures are a disgrace.
“If the rest of Europe can manage to recycle the majority of its waste then we should be able to as well.
“If we can then there will be no need for facilities such as the Seghill landfill.”
Percentage of waste being recycled. • Norway 68 per cent • The Netherlands 64 per cent • Germany 57 per cent • Denmark 31 per cent • United States 28 per cent • UK 23 per cent
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Landfill Payout avoids fine
The Evening Chronicle - September 22 2005
A council is being forced to buy "landfill allowances" from Westminster Council to avoid being fined more than £10m.
Under new rules aimed at cutting down on buried waste, local authorities are now penalised for going over limits set by the Government.
But projections for this financial year show North Tyneside Council is likely to be 15,000 tonnes over its allowance and could be fined £2.25m.
And the authority has predicted it will be around 70,000 tonnes over by 2008, which would bring the fine to £10.5m - £150 per tonne.
Now North Tyneside Council looks set to buy in 70,000 tonnes of allowances from Westminster Council to meet the shortfall at a cost of £1.33m.
A spokesman for North Tyneside Council said: "The buying of landfill permits from Westminster Council is a cost-effective and recognised measure which will help the council meet its obligations to dispose of bio-degradable waste.
"Waste will continue to be disposed of in North Tyneside and will not be transported to Westminster. A team of experts are considering the long-term solution."
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Seaton Delaval
The Evening Chronicle - September 13 2005
Residents in Backworth, Seaton Delaval and Seghill have met over the last few weeks to pledge their support to the "No To Landfill" campaign. A petition containing 600 signatures has been put together, with many more names expected to be added over the coming weeks. This follows the news that SITA UK is seeking permission from the council to expand the landfill site in Seghill. It will include a new access road from Backworth Lane and a landscaping scheme. Anyone interested in joining the campaign can send an e-mail to notolandfill.com or visit the website www.notolandfill.com for further information.
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Council trio back landfill opponents
News Guardian – Monday September 9 2005
CAMPAIGNERS fighting against plans to extend a landfill site have gained support from local councillors.
The three North Tyneside Valley ward councillors - Brian Burdis, Carole Gambling and Angela Potter - have all pledged to support the fight to stop SITA UK extending the landfill site in Seghill for use until 2022.
The No to Landfill Campaign also met with Mr John Harrison, the elected mayor of North Tyneside, to voice their concerns over the 17 year extension.
Councillor Burdis said after 40 years of living next to the landfill residents have a right to see an end when capacity is full.
He said: “Extending this site is not reasonable - the local communities in Seghill, Seaton Delaval, Holywell, Backworth and Earsdon have a right to a more peaceful life with access to the many leisure and recreational amenities which are threatened by this proposal.
“The money allocated from the government’s Coalfields Regeneration Scheme will restore and repair the damage done by 200 years of mining and industrial activity.
“It does not make sense to allow this extension which will destroy a further large swath of important countryside.”
The landfill site, which was due to close next year, straddles the border of Blyth Valley and North Tyneside and residents on both sides are against the expansion.
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Landfill site bid
The Evening Chronicle – September 3 2005
Campaigners have stepped up efforts to block plans to extend an unpopular landfill site in a Tyneside village.
Residents in Backworth, Seaton Delaval and Seghill have met over the last few weeks to pledge their support to the `No To Landfill Campaign' and some 600 people have already signed a petition.
It follows news SITA UK is seeking permission from North Tyneside and Northumberland councils to expand the Seghill site.
Bill Thompson, of Barrowburn Place, said: "It affects our quality of life, in the summer you can't sit in the garden or have a barbecue because of the smell and flies. We get rats and other vermin."
SITA UK area manager Steve Patterson said the expansion is needed to meet increases in waste.
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Campaign against landfill site gathers pace with 600-name petition
News Guardian – Thursday September 1 2005
A CAMPAIGN to put a block on plans to extend a landfill site in Seghill is gathering pace following a series of meetings.
Residents in Backworth, Seaton Delaval and Seghill have met over the last few weeks to pledge their support to the 'No To Landfill Campaign'.
A petition containing a staggering 600 signatures has already been put together with many more names expected to be added over the coming weeks.
This follows the news that SITA UK is seeking permission from North Tyneside and Northumberland councils to expand the site, which will see a new access road from Backworth Lane, improved waste reception facilities and a landscaping scheme.
If approved, large parts of the surrounding land could be drained and a stream may have to be diverted to accommodate the new facilities.
But the plans have been met with stiff opposition from nearby residents, who have turned out in force at each meeting, saying they are fed up with the site.
Some have had to put up with the site for the last 40 years, but the new plans could see work continuing at Seghill until 2022 instead of ending on schedule in 18 months.
One of the campaign co-ordinators, Bill Thompson, from Barrowburn Place, near the site, told the News Guardian: "What we are trying to do is make people aware about the plans for the site.
"We are finding a lot of people have had enough of the site and are asking them to write to both councils objecting to the scheme.
"People feel they have done their civic duty as the landfill site has been there a lot of time they have lived there.
"Some people in the village have been there more or less all their lives and have had virtually 50 years of the site.
"It affects our quality of life – in the summer you can't sit in the garden or have a barbecue because of the smell and flies.
"We get rats and other vermin.
"Lots of vehicles run through the village, not just bin wagons but heavy articulated vehicles."
The campaign group also fears if permission is granted the site will not only be used to meet the needs of Northumberland residents by SITA.
"SITA obtain contracts from all the councils to deposit their waste," added Mr Thompson.
"They will deposit whatever waste they like on that site as long as they meet contractual needs.
"There is no guarantee it will be waste from the local area as the site can take whichever waste SITA deems fit."
County councillors Peter Hillman and Elsie Harvey have also given their backing to the campaign.
Despite this, SITA UK area manager Steve Patterson says the expansion is needed to meet an increase in general waste.
"Our decision to extend this site has been very much decided by how quickly the existing site has become full," he said.
"Despite everyone's efforts to recycle more and divert waste away from landfill, there is still a need to provide the facility.
"If the site is not extended, we may have to look at options outside the county.
"This option is not sustainable and means other communities outside the county will have to take the burden of the area's waste.
"Obviously we are very keen to hear what local people have to say about our plans."
Anyone interested in joining the campaign can email notolandfill@hotmail.co.uk or visit the website www.notolandfill.com for more information.
online article
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Residents ready to fight new landfill application
Meeting organisers overwhelmed with turnout for special event
News Guardian – Thursday August 18 2005
By Anthony McLean - anthony.mclean@northeast-press.co.uk
RESIDENTS who spent 20 years living next door to a landfill site are dismayed at an application which could see work continue for another two decades.
SITA UK has applied to North Tyneside Council and Northumberland County Council to expand the landfill site at Seghill which will see a new road access from Backworth Lane, improved waste reception facilities and a landscaping scheme.
If approved large parts of the surrounding land could be drained and a stream may have to be diverted to accommodate the new facilities.
But residents are vehemently opposed to the plans and over 100 people met in Backworth Community Centre to discuss the proposals.
Ian Hall, of Melrose Avenue, and one of the organisers of the meeting, said: We were overwhelmed by the turnout.”
“This application will bring the landfill right up to the residential areas and a lot of people are worried.”
“Backworth, Seaton Delaval, Earsdon and Seghill will all be affected as the proposals are huge.”
“This site has been used as landfill for over 20 years but many people thought operations would be coming to a close over the next few months.”
“This application has destroyed those hopes”
Mr Hall also said it would make more sense to use opencast mines which are nearing the end of their lifespan to store waste in the future.”
“These holes need to be filled in somehow, so why not fill them with waste instead of drilling new holes?” he said.
“SITA is a national company so we could be receiving waste from all over the UK, not just from the North East.”
The land is used by walkers and cyclists from the whole region, as many of the footpaths linking Northumberland and North Tyneside pass through the area.
In July, Northumberland Wildlife Trust commissioned research of the wetland areas in a ten mile radius of land surrounding the site.
The stream, bogs, flood plains, fens and ponds are thought to be home to the increasingly rare water vole.
But Steve Patterson, SITA UK’s area manager, said the expansion is needed to meet an increase in general waste.
He said: “Our decision to extend the site has been very much decided by how quickly the existing site has become full.”
“Despite everyone’s efforts to recycle more and divert waste away from landfill, there is still a need to provide the landfill facility for the future.”
“If the site is not extended we may have to look at disposal options outside the county.”
“This option is not sustainable and means that other communities outside the county will have to take the burden of the area’s waste.”
“Obviously, we are very keen to hear what local people have to say about our plans.”
If planning permission is approved, work could continue at Seghill until 2022.
For more information on further public meetings visit www.notolandfill.com.
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Villagers say no to dump
‘After 40 years of waste tipping, it is time to stop’
The Journal – Wednesday August 17 2005
By Dave Black - (01670 514809)
PEOPLE in a cluster of villages have joined forces to fight plans which could see dumping at a waste tip continue for 17 more years.
A protest campaign has been launched against moves by waste-management company Sita UK to double the capacity of the landfill at Seghill, near Cramlington.
The company says there is only enough space left to continue waste dumping until 2008 and wants to expand the site so it can continue until 2022.
The site straddles the border of Northumberland and North Tyneside and the proposal has sparked fury in Seghill, Seaton Delaval, Holywell, Backworth and Earsdon. Protestors say they have endured noise and environmental degradation from the site for 40 years and are appalled at the idea of dumping until 2022.
Last week, 150 people attended a public meeting in Backworth and campaigners have set up a website – www.notolandfill.com – to spearhead the protest. They say expanding the site would affect the rights of way and threaten green belt and a wildlife corridor.
A founder of the No To Landfill campaign, East Holywell company director Paul Irwin said: “In only 14 days we have established a framework to fight these proposals. The residents of Seaton Valley and North Tyneside have endured the pollution and disruption of this site for 40 years and enough is enough. Everyone in the area was looking forward to the site winding down in the next 18 months and then this hit us.”
“We have had dumping here since the 1960’s and it is time to stop.”
Seghill district councillor Jim Clough said: “There is clearly a lot of concern locally about this application. It apparently involves things like moving pylons and diverting footpaths and is creating a lot of upheaval in local communities.”
Campaigners will hold meetings in Seaton Delaval community centre at 7pm next Tuesday and Seghill community centre at 7pm the next day.
Sita UK is seeking planning permission from Northumberland County Council and North Tyneside Council. It wants to double the site’s four million cubic-metre capacity. Sita has waste contracts with Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland and the Seghill site takes non-hazardous rubbish.
Sita UK communications manager Nicola Dowlen said the company had held three exhibitions of its plans attended by more than 100 local people.
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Bid to double waste site size
The Evening Chronicle - July 13 2005
A firm which wants to double the size of a Northumberland landfill site says the only alternative is to move outside the area.
Waste management company Sita UK has drawn up plans to expand the site at Seghill.
The company is to hold public exhibitions to outline extension plans.
The firm said the four million cubic metre capacity site was 75% full with only enough space to last for three more years. It wants an extension of another four million cubic metres of space.
Sita has waste contracts with Newcastle, North Tyneside and in Northumberland Councils and the site takes non hazardous household, industrial and commercial rubbish. The extension to the site will include a new access road.
The exhibition is at Seaton Delaval and Holywell Community Centre, on July 19; Backworth Community Centre on July 20 and Seghill Community Centre on Friday, July 22. All are between 2 to 7pm.
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Wetland area survey
The Evening Chronicle - May 28 2005
A survey is to be conducted into all water sites within 10 miles of a landfill area.
Northumberland Wildlife Trust will carry out the survey in south-east Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside.
It is being financed with £18,000 from Sita Environmental Trust through the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme, with matching funding from Northern Rock.
It will cover more than 300 square miles around the Seghill landfill site and look at streams, bogs, flood plains, fens and ponds.
Many have never been surveyed and little is known of their ecological, social and economic value. A league table of priorities for attention will be drawn up and it is hoped restoration will follow.
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