Norfolk waste PFI challenge steps up

Councilor Nick Daubney told Partnerships Bulletin: "We fully support the government's desire for alternatives to landfill - but burning rubbish close to the community is not the way to go. Which is why we have formally applied for a judicial review into Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman's decision to award the PFI credits."

Last year, Spelman withheld £91m in PFI credits to build the energy from waste plant amid concerns over a lack of public support for the scheme.

In January 2012, she then gave a go-ahead to a Cory Wheelabrator proposal to build the scheme.

“We believe that to grant public money to finance such an ill conceived project, which is clearly unwanted by the very people who will end up paying for it, is just wrong," Daubney added.

"Full project information from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs has been with our Queens Council, who believe that we have a legitimate case. We want to see what evidence [Spelman] received to make the case for incineration; we have not seen anything to justify her decision."

The first stage in the judicial review process was marked on 10 February when a pre-action protocol letter was sent to Spelman. The letter asked her to provide copies of all the evidence received between 7 November and 18 January which led her to conclude that her criterion for the award of credits had been met.

News from the court is expect in the coming months.