Council And Government Failing Dunbar

Our thoughts on the latest twist in the Dunbar incinerator saga feature prominently in this week's East Lothian Courier, as well as the East Lothian/Musselburgh News.

Here's the background to what's happened.

And here's our response:

East Lothian councillors and the Scottish Government should hang their heads in shame at their utter failure to serve the community of Dunbar.

 

The decision by the council to lift a restriction on the proposed Viridor incinerator beggars belief.

 

Waste from across Scotland can now be sent to the plant. The incinerator was originally denied planning permission by our councillors but their decision was overturned by the Scottish Government on condition that only local waste is taken. Now even that constraint has been lifted.

 

In our objection, East Lothian Greens warned of exactly this outcome, given that the same thing happened with Dundee’s ill-fated DERL incinerator.

 

This is an affront to local democracy.

 

The incinerator poses a serious risk to human health, public safety, the environment and it will encourage the generation of waste to feed the plant, completely contradicting Scotland’s ambitions to become a zero waste society.

 

Local people understandably feel powerless.

 

Our elected representatives should have shown a bit more backbone.

 

I will be writing to the SNP Government’s new environment minister Paul Wheelhouse, whose South of Scotland constituency includes Dunbar, to ask if local people’s concerns will be addressed or if the corporate interests of Viridor are more important.