Nuclear decision likely

The final meeting of the group set up to look into the implications of an underground nuclear waste store in west Cumbria is set to take place today.

For three years representatives from councils and communities group across Cumbria have been looking into the issue.

Today their final report will be signed off.The report will go to the three councils of Allerdale, Copeland and the county council who will decide in the autumn whether the area should go through to the next stage and look for a site.

The report will set out the opinions of the Managing Radio Waste Safely Partnership on a range of issues related to whether the area should take part in the Government’s search, and additional advice to the councils.

These include issues such as safety, geology, inventory and community benefits, and the right of withdrawal. A spokesman for the MRWS said:

"Partnership members have already taken part in two workshops and two full Partnership meetings to go through the views expressed by the public and stakeholders, and consider how the Partnership’s initial views should be changed as a result.

*"This has led to significant changes to the Partnership’s emerging Final Report including: *

"Ensuring that if the process continues funding is available for full independent review of technical work on behalf of ***the community, strengthening commitments from Government on community benefits and requesting the process is put on a legally-binding basis." *