Councils under scrutiny over waste contract (From The Argus)

Councils under scrutiny over waste contract

10:39am Monday 8th October 2007 in

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The European Union is to investigate the decision to bail out a controversial incinerator contract behind closed doors after costs rocketed.

Caroline Lucas, Green Party MEP and parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion, has asked for the European Commission to look at whether East Sussex County Council and Brighton and Hove City Council have broken two European laws on competition and transparency in their dealings with the waste contract.

The cost of the incinerator project more than doubled to £145.7 million and the two councils agreed to help contractor Veolia meet its financial burden by extending the life of the contract from 25 to 30 years.

East Sussex County Council leader Peter Jones says the decision was taken properly and in the best interest of council tax payers.

He is also calling on Lib Dem MP Norman Baker to be investigated for his role in releasing confidential information.

Ms Lucas said: "This latest twist in the sorry saga of Sussex being saddled with a waste burner no one wants simply beggars belief.

Opponents of the scheme have repeatedly called for the contract between Brighton and Hove council and the incinerator's operator to be reviewed - and we have been told consistently that this has been impossible.

"But when the company concerned want to reopen negotiations, it suddenly seems that it is possible after all."

Councillor Jones said of Norman Baker: "He has leaked confidential documents and made wild and grossly inaccurate claims. He has been spooked by growing evidence from independent constituency election projections suggesting that he is set to lose to Conservative candidate Jason Sugerman."

He added that the decision was legal and had been checked by lawyers.

Councillor Brian Oxley, leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, said: "Openness and transparency are the hallmarks of Brighton and Hove's administration. Rules on confidentiality in certain situations exist to safeguard the running of the council but they are only applied where there is a necessity to do so.

"Being opposed to an issue is no excuse for people breaching commercial confidentiality.

"We agreed the joint waste management contract with East Sussex County Council because it is the best way of delivering a value for money waste service to our taxpayers.

We remain convinced it is the best way forward."

Both Tory politicians are to ask the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and the Standards Board for England to investigate the leaking of confidential material.

Norman Baker was unavailable for comment yesterday but Ann De Vecchi, Lewes District Council leader and member of the Lib Dems, said: "The Tories are once again shooting the messenger."

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