Fife Labour leader Alex Rowley seeking clarification on the level of discussion taking place with the MOD and Babcock International on the future plans for the seven decommissioned nuclear submarines docked at Rosyth Dockyard.
The Kelty and Benarty councillor has written to Fife Council Chief Executive Mr Ronnie Hinds following on from questions he raised at the meeting of Fife Council last week. Mr Rowley said; “It became apparent that no one in the administration seemed to have any real clue as to what was happening and indeed I was then further surprised to hear senior SNP councillors talk about and welcome the fact that Fife Council was going to hold a ‘referendum’ in Rosyth to ask the people what they thought should happen to the nuclear waste at the Yard”.
He continued; “While I accept that the consultation from the MOD has lacked a bit of credibility given the length of time it has gone on for, I had understood that specific consultation was now being held with local authorities in the areas concerned. I also understood that while the MOD has no military disposal site for nuclear waste, Sellafield in Cumbria would be considered as a suitable civil disposal site and the most likely option for the relocation and long term storing of the waste currently at Rosyth.
“I believe it may be necessary to break the subs up and put the nuclear waste into safe storage tanks before moving that waste to a long term site. If the safest place to do that is at Rosyth then we need to know this. Likewise the same would apply to the eleven submarines stored at Devonport and we would not expect any of their waste to come near Fife”.
Mr Rowley said; “We need to established the facts and communicate this to councillors and the wider public of Fife. Once we have this information in the public domain, then that may be the best time to have an informed discussion. I am also clear that many people from our area worked on these subs and still work in yard and given the location is a few miles away, the future of the nuclear waste is a matter for all our communities and not just Rosyth.
The Labour group leader has asked the chief executive to provide an up to date position statement as soon as is possible and continued; “I would also ask that you confirm the strategic importance of this issue for the whole of Fife and explain how it is being dealt with at officer level within the council”.
He concluded; “The nationalist leadership in Fife council have tried to pull a stunt by calling a local referendum when what is needed is a focus on the facts and a long term solution for the nuclear waste stored on our door step. I will now make sure that this is where the focus of the council is directed”.
