To receive Motions on Notice under Council Procedure Rule 12.

Motion: Understanding the Impact of a GDF

This council acknowledges the significance of the October 2024 report by Guardians of The East Coast (GOTEC), titled 'The Nuclear Option – Radioactive Waste Disposal on the Lincolnshire Coast,' as an important piece of evidence regarding the potential effects of a Geological Disposal Facility on the visitor economy.  (Document attached).

Proposed by: Travis Hesketh

Seconded by: Robert Watson

The following Motion was received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12:

Understanding the Impact of a GDF

This council acknowledges the significance of the October 2024 report by Guardians of The East Coast (GOTEC), titled 'The Nuclear Option – Radioactive Waste Disposal on the Lincolnshire Coast,' as an important piece of evidence regarding the potential effects of a Geological Disposal Facility on the visitor economy.

Proposed Cllr Travis Hesketh

Seconded Cllr Robert Watson

In his introduction, Councillor Hesketh stated that it was really important that the right level of evidence was available to understand what the impact of a geological disposal facility would be on the area in terms of the economy, the tourist industry and visitor economy.

There had been a number of times Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) and the NWS Community Partnership had been asked to undertake an impact study.  As this had not been forthcoming, Councillor Hesketh referred to the report created and produced by GOTEC, a grassroots organisation whose interest was committed to preserving the natural beauty and quality of life on the Lincolnshire coastline.  GOTEC had undertaken this study on a voluntary basis and it was carried out by researchers who were pro and against a nuclear dump and who had no vested interests.  Councillor Hesketh advised Members that the report looked at the radioactive waste disposal and the impact on the Lincolnshire coast and provided Members with pertinent facts and figures contained within the report.

Councillor Hesketh commended the report to Council and asked that Members supported the Motion for Council to acknowledge the significance of this report as an important piece of evidence regarding the potential effects of a Geological Disposal Facility on the visitor economy.

Councillor Robert Watson seconded the Motion.

Speaking to the Motion, the Leader of the Council advised Members that Councillor Hesketh was a member of GOTEC and had previously made his views clear on the GDF at Council.  The Leader stated that he would not support the Motion to recognise the report as a significant piece of evidence as the report had not been created by an independent group as GOTEC was an advocacy group whose social media posts were clearly against the GDF or its potential.

The Leader of the Council continued that ELDC fully understood the value of tourism to the district and had undertaken much work to grow that industry.  He highlighted that the report did not consider the impacts of COVID and the increase in business for the Council in 2022 and 2023 and there was no reference in the report to various documents in relation to tourism, consultation, funding and investment to the coast and was concerned over some glaring inaccuracies in terms of some of the wording and misleading descriptors.

The Deputy Leader of the Council added that he had spoken to people who were both for and against the proposal of a GDF.  He highlighted those people that were in support of the proposal, was for the benefits that this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62