WALTHAM FOREST: Accusations fly over waste plan

8:00am Thursday 13th March 2008

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CLAIMS that the public have not been properly consulted about a new waste strategy have been rejected by the organisation responsible for carrying it out.

Paula Mitchell, of Walthamstow Socialist Party, said the party was concerned about lack of consultation over the North London Waste Plan.

The plan, which is being examined by the council and six other boroughs, earmarks Blackhorse Lane, Walthamstow, Lea Bridge Gateway, Leyton, and the Central Leaside Business Area, on the Chingford-Enfield border, as sites for new facilities.

It states that the types of plants needed across north London include a hazardous waste-processing facility and possibly an incinerator, as well as recycling centres.

The locations of the particular types of plants has not been decided, but half of the proposed sites are in Waltham Forest.

Cllr Terry Wheeler, the council's cabinet member for enterprise and investment who is responsible for steering the plan in this borough, said he expects the facilities to be clean, modern, waste management or biological plants, but admitted anything is possible.

Ms Mitchell said the consultation meetings have been poorly advertised and only about 20 people attended the ones here. She said the vast majority of residents knew nothing of the plans.

To remedy this the Socialist Party organised a public meeting under the umbrella of Residents Against Pollution in the Blackhorse Lane area.

She said 40 people attended and put their questions to the waste plan manager and representatives from the council.

Ms Mitchell said: "People were highly sceptical about the consultation process. Why was it that the planners held a meeting for the whole borough and only got 20 people to it, while we held a meeting for a few local streets and 40 people came?"

Archie Onslow, programme manager for the North London Waste Plan, said: "We have consulted with residents across the seven boroughs by holding a workshop in each borough and by inviting people to reply to a questionnaire on the plan."

He added that advertisements about the plan appeared in council magazine WFM and residents had been informed by letter about the recent consultation meeting, which was attended by 30 people.

Mr Onslow said North London Waste Plan representatives plan to meet with the Blackhorse Action Group in April.

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