TONY NEWMAN, the leader of the Labour group on Croydon Council, says that the upcoming local elections is the opportunity for residents to put the record straight on the Beddington Lane incinerator
The betrayal of Croydon Tories in pushing ahead with the incinerator on the borough boundary at Beddington is rightly becoming one of the key election issues, both in the marginal ward of Waddon and across Croydon.
Viridor are working on a 25-year contract with four councils, worth £1 billion, which depends on the area re-cycling less, and burning it instead in an incinerator
The true extent of the environmental crime about to be perpetrated on the people of Croydon is only coming to light now. The imposition of the incinerator is a clear breach of the Croydon Conservatives’ promise at the 2010 election never to build an incinerator in or on the borders of Croydon. Four years on, it is clear this incinerator will play no part in the long-term environmental solutions Croydon needs.
In Sweden, some incinerator waste plants are now lying idle, redundant, as that country has dramatically reduced the amount of waste it produces and maximises the amount of waste that is recycled. In short, there is nothing left to burn. However, in Croydon the Tory incinerator will almost certainly burn waste 24 hours a day seven days a week.
This is because we now know that even if every household in Croydon recycled 100 per cent of our waste, the Tory incinerator won’t be there to benefit Croydon, it will be there, as we have known all along, to make massive profits for its owners.
Croydon Tories’ incinerator pledge from 2010: a promise broken soon after
The incinerator will burn other people’s waste, and in the words of an official from Sutton Council, this will come “from across south London and Surrey”. Over the next 20 years, if this supply line runs out, then presumably more HGVs from further away will trawl through Croydon with waste from who knows where.
Labour has a clear policy of opposing this incinerator and welcomes the support of all those who now oppose this scheme. Our principle objection to this incinerator has always been that it should not be sited in an area where so many people live, where air quality is already poor, and where the roads are already often gridlocked.
Labour believes that other, more modern technologies that are available should be explored. The long-term well-being of the people of Croydon and the environment should be the principle that guides us. Recycling rates must be driven higher, packaging on many products has to be reduced.
Four years ago, my colleagues and I were labelled “scaremongers” and “liars” by our political opponents when we first highlighted the Tories’ incinerator plans.
Croydon now knows the truth.
On May 22, the people of Croydon have an opportunity to voice their opinion on the Tory betrayal. Please don’t waste it.
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- JLS singer ‘horrified’ by toxic pollution caused by incinerator
- England batsman Butcher wants to bowl out incinerator
Coming to Croydon
- David Lean Cinema: Basically Johnny Moped, Mar 27-28
- Crystal Palace Question Time, Mar 27
- Croydon Half-marathon, Mar 30
- David Lean Cinema: 12 Years a Slave, Apr 3
- David Lean Cinema: The Great Beauty, Apr 10
- Norwood Society Talk: Crystal Palace, Apr 17
- David Lean Cinema: Inside Llewyn Davis, Apr 17
- Opening of Marlpit Lane bowling and putting greens, Apr 17
- Arts and Crafts Market, Exchange Square, Apr 19
- David Lean Cinema: Short Term, Apr 24
- Norwood Society Talk: West Norwood – a place of change, May 15
- Croydon RFC charity memorial day, May 17
- Norwood Society Talk: The Concrete Church, June 19
- Crystal Palace Overground Festival, June 26-29
- Norwood Society Talk: War Memorials, Sep 18
- Norwood Society Talk: From Fire Station to Theatre, Oct 16
- Norwood Society Talk: Lambeth’s Archives, Nov 20
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Perhaps Tony should ask the Labour party in Merton tan asking the Tories in Croydon.
Look at the air pollution figures at Erith (another one) during the recent smog episodes:
http://twitpic.com/dz1hxa
The SELCHP incin also raised local levels to VERY HIGH 10,during the same episode,a few days earlier.In detailed research King’s found that it and associated businesses contributed up to 27% to local pollution.
This is all the more relevant to Wandle/Croydon as they sit in a geographical bowl that concentrates air pollution.God knows what the old power station did to Croydon’s health!
pic.twitter.com/NA9c6teeSP
http://twitpic.com/dz1jqo
Typical pre-election party propaganda.
The incinerator will be based in Sutton, so voting Labour or UKIP, or anything else in Croydon won’t make any difference.
I notice Mr Newman has avoided making any commitment, political or financial, to the proposed judicial review of Sutton Council’s decision..
If Croydon Council decided not to support this incinerator with our money and recyclable materials, that would undermine its viability. So not voting Tory could make a difference – unless Labour did a u-turn when in office.
Viridor has played a blinder….get the local MP’s on awaydays, spread important decisions across 4 boroughs, some in secret meetings that should have been public,split the finances/decisions between Croydon and Sutton.Perfect.Now look at this set of exchanges.If you want to know why lots of the public don’t vote…that’s why.
At the metropolitan and parliamentary level even greater lobbying has taken place.Please read:
A Quiet Word: Lobbying, Crony Capitalism and Broken Politics in Britain
:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quiet-Word-Lobbying-Capitalism-Politics/dp/1847922325/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395496489&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=a+quiuet+word