Petition against a giant incinerator in Gloucester

The County Council is proposing large scale incinerators to be built in and around Gloucester capable of burning 175,000 tonnes of waste, much of which would be imported from around the country.

I call upon my City and County council to rule out incineration from the County’s waste plan. Other options have not been given sufficient consideration and I urge my local councillors to oppose incineration and to consider other more environmentally friendly options instead.

"To say that I was disappointed by the council’s recent announcement that it has purchased land at Javelin Park for an incinerator is an understatement.

For over a year I, along with community activists, have been campaigning in opposition to the council’s incinerator plans. We have been joined by thousands of local residents. Throughout, the council have refused to take responsibility for their plans, claiming they are being cajoled into this by the government – something Minister’s have refuted. This decision is local. Their announcement has revealed the truth – they want to build an incinerator at Javelin Park."

The recent announcement by the Tory County Council that land has been bought at Javelin Park for an incinerator has been met with deep disappointment by residents from across the City. Yet the Tory PPC for Gloucester, Richard Graham, remains as silent as ever.

Not once has the Tory PPC spoken out against incineration in Gloucester.

Why won’t the Tory candidate challenge his friends on the County Council on an issue of such importance? Why does he continue to put the plans of the Cotswold cavalry ahead of the needs of City residents?

Gloucester MP Parmjit Dhanda spoke on Tuesday 3rd March 2009 in Parliament against the Tory council's proposals for an incinerator on the edge of Gloucester.

Parmjit called for the debate following the recent announcement by the County Council that it has purchased land at javelin Park near Quedgeley for a major waste facility. The incinerator could be ten storeys tall and could be capable of buring 160,000 tonnes of waste each year.

Click on the link below to watch Parmjit's speech:             http://tinyurl.com/adrq3j