106 JACK fm

Campaigners against an approved South Hatfield incinerator have branded yesterday's meeting "a farce" with a predetermined result...

Hertfordshire County Councillors gave Veolia Environmental Services the green light for their New Barnfield development last night.

But affected residents of the waste management site, who also debated the issue in the chamber in Hertford, say they believe a decision had been made BEFORE proceedings started.

Secretary of Hatfield Against Incineration Cathy Roe told JACK fm: "Although they asked questions, I thought some of them were superficial. Some of the Councillors sounded like they were genuinely undecided, but I am not convinced. I felt they were rushing to get to the vote."

Meanwhile Welwyn Hatfield's MP Grant Shapps is distancing himself from his Tory colleagues insisting yesterday's move has nothing to do with party politics: "I don't think people should play politics with this. We have all worked together on this. I have worked with Labour and the Lib Dems to fight this and that is what we need to continue to do, otherwise we will put the whole campaign in jeopardy.

This is by no means the end of the campaign - there is more fighting still to be done."

Mr Shapps says he has written to the Secretary of State for Local Government about Hatfield Incinerator plans, stressing the importance of the issue. Grant Shapps says he's concerned about the planned location next to a special school, homes and the environmental impact.

Mr Shapps says there are several options: "I will be writing again asking for the Secretary of State Eric Pickles to call in that decision. This means that can be looked at again by Ministers. If that fails, the next stage would be a judicial review - a legal process where we challenge the procedures used by the incinerator company."

AUDIO: Listen to Grant Shapps reacting to last night's news...

listen to ‘Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps Says "Hatfield Incinerator Fight Isn't Over"’ on Audioboo

Yesterday's meeting was a noisy affair as protestors armed with airhorns and placards campaigned outside County Hall in Hertford. In addition, thousands of letters and emails had been sent to Herts County Council protesting AGAINST the planned New Barnfield incinerator. More than 6,300 responses were delivered to County Hall during the consultation period. Only ten letters were in favour of the proposals for New Barnfield.

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