Press Releases
On this page are some of the press releases that the Campaign Group have issued, you can see how they were used in the press on the clippings page
29/09/05: BEGINS
PROTESTERS ANGER AT NEW LANDFILL REVELATIONS
Residents of North Tyneside and Blyth Valley fighting expansion plans from SITA UK Ltd were shocked to learn of recent developments in North Tyneside . SITA are applying to extend the size and life of the Seghill Landfill Site to 300,000 tonnes per annum until as late as 2022. If granted planning permission SITA will destroy a large area of agricultural land in the greenbelt and adjacent to the Seaton Burn wildlife corridor, prolonging the nuisance and loss of access to amenity/recreational land for years to come.
Now, new information suggests that poor performance by North Tyneside 's waste disposal contractor (also SITA UK Ltd) has forced the Council into desperate measures to avoid government penalties for failure to move to environmentally acceptable means of waste disposal.
North Tyneside Council have been compelled to negotiate with the London Borough of Westminster to purchase surplus landfill allowances (70,000 tonnes) under the LATS (Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme) scheme for the coming four years, because SITA have failed to match past performance in transferring refuse to an Energy from Waste incinerator they operate on Teeside. The alternative of exceeding the government's landfill allowances could have cost the Council £10.5M over the next four years. However, they will not escape costs all together as they will have paid £1.3M to purchase the allowances from Westminster Council. Such landfill allowances traded between councils bring revenue to the better performing and environmentally sound authorities with allowances to sell at the expense of poor performing councils.
Conversely, it seems that the taxpayers of North Tyneside and the residents of Blyth Valley must suffer the consequences of SITA's failure to maintain performance under its 20 year contract with North Tyneside signed in 1997.
In 2004/5 SITA achieved less than a third of its waste recovery rate for incineration compared to 2001/2. A secret report to the North Tyneside Cabinet (16.08.05) noted that - 'SITA is informing us of a similar or reduced performance in 05/06 and future years and hence North Tyneside will exceed their LATS allowances unless action is taken'.
The NoToLandfill Campaign believes the plans by SITA to build a new reception area including a haul road and bridge over the Ashington to Benton railway line will cause appalling environmental damage in North Tyneside . The Seghill site was to wind down by 2008 when filled to its approved planned capacity. Now, residents face a further 17 years of nuisance, noise, smell, heavy traffic and loss of access to land which has been reclaimed, after 200 years of mining and industrial activity, under the government's Coalfields restoration programme.
The campaign intends to highlight this failure by SITA and will be seeking answers from North Tyneside Council about the operation and terms of its contracts with SITA.
Lindsay Perks, Chairman of NoToLandfill said:
"It is disgraceful that one of the real reasons for this planned extension, which will prolong the nuisance and use of an unsound and non-environmentally acceptable disposal option, is the consequence of North Tyneside Council and/or its contractor consistently failing to achieve reductions in landfill rates."
Bill Thompson, co-ordinator, added:
"The government's landfill trading scheme - a safety net for poor performance by councils - is providing an opportunity for North Tyneside to continue dumping its waste in someone else's backyard."
"Buying landfill allowances instead of introducing acceptable means of disposal and increased re-cycling is leading to a situation where effectively, £1.3M of taxpayers money will be ' poured into a hole in the ground' over the next four years."
"The residents of North Tyneside and Blyth Valley are telling their elected representatives that these proposals are unacceptable on environmental, technological and amenity grounds. The loss of valuable land which will be unusable for crop production forever is not acceptable, particularly when large sums of money are being spent to restore the area after 200 years of mining and industrial use."
Two emergency meetings for local residents have been held where campaign organisers briefed residents and supporters on these latest revelations.
ENDS
PRESS RELEASE - 09/09/05 BEGINS
Backworth Councillors Pledge Support in Fight Against Landfill Extension
The No to Landfill Campaign received a significant boost when the three local councillors for Valley Ward North Tyneside pledged to support the fight to stop SITA UK Limited’s application to extend the life of the 40 year old Seghill Landfill Site for a further 17 years.
The planned expansion will contaminate and destroy amenity land in both Northumberland and North Tyneside with serious implications for wildlife habitat, bridleways and footpaths as well as prolonging the nuisance, noise and odours associated with the site for the past four decades.
Local Valley Ward Councillor and Ecology lecturer Brian Burdis met with No to Landfill co-ordinators and campaigners to offer support and technical assistance with the campaign.
Brian Burdis said:-
“After 40 years residents have a right to expect to see an end to landfill when the current site is filled to capacity. 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 in North Tyneside.”
You can find out more about the No to Landfill Campaign at www.notolandfill.com
ENDS
For further info please log onto www.notolandfill.com or contact Bill Thompson (co-ordinator) on - 07715-045660.
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08/09/05: BEGINS
Mayor hears objections to landfill extension
John Harrison, Executive Mayor of North Tyneside Council, met today with representatives of the No to Landfill Campaign to hear our serious concerns about the proposals submitted by SITA UK to extend the life of the Seghill Landfill Site by a further 17 years just as long-suffering residents had hoped to be freed of the environmental nuisance, traffic congestion and pollution which has blighted their communities for the past 40 years.
The Mayor was made aware of the many technical and planning issues the group is researching in depth in order to present a comprehensive argument against the grant of planning permissions to extend the site and allow the construction of access routes and workshop facilities on land in North Tyneside.
John Harrison said he would be ensuring that all relevant planning issues affecting the environmental and leisure aspects of the area will be fully considered by the council's planning officers before making any recommendation in respect of the application submitted to the council.
Chairman of the No to Landfill Campaign Lindsay Perks said:- "The Mayor gave us a good hearing and we are reassured that these applications from SITA will be fully appraised against all issues that are of concern to us."
ENDS
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02/09/05: BEGINS
Protest Group Name Chairman
The burgeoning campaign to halt plans by SITA UK which would extend the 40 year old Seghill Landfill Site received a major boost when Mr Lindsay Perks OBE agreed to chair the campaign co-ordinating group.
Lindsay Perks has many concerns about the proposals which impinge on activities to which he devotes much of his time. The retired systems analyst and IT technology manager and former North Tyneside councillor works in a voluntary capacity with many community and leisure groups such as Sustrans, Tyne Bikes and North Tyneside Cycle Forum. He is a Governor and Chair of the Finance Committee of the Sherburn Hospital Trust (Durham).
Through his work with the Local Access Forum, Sustrans and Cyclists Touring Club as well as practical experience cycling up to 100 miles a week on local roads, bridleways and cycle tracks, he has first hand knowledge of the areas which will be badly compromised by SITA’s planned expansion.
Founding member of the group and co-ordinator, Paul Irwin, said “Meeting Lindsay when he came along to our first public meeting at Backworth led to our asking him to bring his vast experience and particular knowledge to our group. Our campaign will benefit immensely from his professionalism and past experience in many areas which are very relevant to challenging SITA’s attempts to prolong the life of a major blot on the landscape.” ’No To Landfill’ is now fully established with three major task groups carrying out work in the areas of campaigning, technical research and evaluation of SITA’s submissions to Northumberland County Council and North Tyneside Council as well as an environmental task group investigating the proposals which would have a major impact on the only substantial countryside and leisure space in North Tyneside. The campaign is contacting all groups with an interest in public access and use of the affected areas including, Sustrans, Northumberland Wildlife Trust and the many walking, cycling and equestrian groups who make extensive use of the area.
Commenting on his agreement to take on Chairmanship of the group Lindsay Perks said:
“I am delighted to accept the group’s request to help the No To Landfill Campaign in this way. I am greatly impressed by the breadth of support and the range of voluntary specialist assistance the group has already secured.
I see my prime role as one of ensuring that our voice is heard and our very serious concerns are recognised and understood at the highest level in organisations that can influence the policy-makers who will have a heavy responsibility when deciding on these applications. It is vital that everybody appreciates the potential adverse impact of SITA’s proposals and their long-term significance.
The local population have expressed their opposition very clearly in three packed meetings at which their determination to fight these proposals was forthright and clear - hundreds of residents of Seghill, Backworth, Seaton Delaval, Holywell and Earsdon are united in one voice - ‘enough is enough’ - no more landfill at Seghill.”
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For further info please log onto www.notolandfill.com or contact Bill Thompson (co-ordinator) on - 07715-045660.
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From a recent press release:
Councillors fall in behind protesters.
Local Councillors expressed support for residents who attended a packed meeting at Seaton Delaval Community Centre last night. Having heard from campaign organisers and Friends of the Earth campaigner Don Kent, Northumberland County Councillor Peter Hillman said “I will tell you now that I am onboard, I am against the landfill“ he likened the No To Landfill Campaign to a “big uprising“.
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