INCINERATOR FAILURE -

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 24th Jun 2008

increased financial risk to the County Council and ultimately Kent's council tax payers

Failure of furnace linings at the Waste to Energy Incinerator at Allington meant another plant shut down of the burning process, a mountain of rotting rubbish and a plague of flies for local residents.

At the County Council meeting (Thursday 19th June), Councillor Dan Daley, Lib Dem Member for Maidstone Central slammed the authorities including the Environmental Agency for failing to control the plague of flies during the second recent and prolonged shut-down.

During the debate on the KCC Annual Plan, Dan criticised the lack of a risk assessment for the cost of the emergency re-routing of putrescible waste in the event of a future long-term breakdown.

Dan stated "It is estimated we each produce 1 ton of waste per year. As the local population grows there will be an increased financial risk, which has not been properly evaluated, to the County Council and ultimately Kent's council tax payers, resulting from an incinerator breakdown".

Editors Note: Cllr Dan Daley also asked a question regarding gate fees during shut downs. The question and answer given are available at: http://www.kent.libdems.org.uk/pages/County-Council-Questions.html