INCINERATOR: "COUNTY COUNCIL IS WRONG"

11.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 18th Sep 2008

Stephen Gilbert tells County Councillors the planned incinerator is wrong

Stephen Gilbert, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for St Austell & Newquay, spoke out against the planned incinerator at St Dennis during last night's public consultation meeting. He said that: "Incineration is not the right option, one-site is not the right solution, and St Dennis is not the right place."

Stephen added: "Let me clear about one thing. Both as your candidate and hopefully as your MP, I will always put the interests of local people ahead of the interests of party politics. The County Council may be Lib Dem run, but they have got this wrong."

Over 1,500 people attended the meeting to discuss SITA's application for an incinerator in St Dennis.

Commenting on the prospect of financial penalties hitting Council Tax payers in Cornwall if the plans are refused, Stephen Gilbert said:

"County Councillors must decide this application on planning issues only. They must not be swayed by the doomsday scenario being fed them by accountants at County Hall."

Mr Gilbert said that the campaign against the incinerator had been a "David and Goliath" struggle and that local people had put forward arguments that were "more concise, well structured and convincing" than many he had heard in the Council Chamber.

Mr Gilbert finished by telling the County Councillors at the meeting: "In life, it is often the case that the easy option is not the right option. Incineration is the easy option for Cornwall County Council; it is not the right option. Let's be more imaginative and make the harder choice. Let's use all of Cornwall's talents to get the right solution for the long-term."