A public meeting held in Dalgety Bay has voted to accept in principle the MOD Management Strategy Report for dealing with the beach radiation issue. Speaking after the meeting Gordon Brown MP said;
“I was pleased to be present at a successful Community Council meeting on July 2ist in Dalgety Bay Church Hall which was ably chaired by Colin McPhail on behalf of the Community Council. Alex Rowley MSP was also in attendance, along with the Deputy Leader of the Council, Lesley Laird.
I was able to thank the Community Council and its Chairman Colin McPhail for their vigilance in promoting the positive case for remedial work at the beach and I am pleased that there was general support for the plan we have fought so hard to achieve – the repair of the beach area, a £10 million investment, and a new slipway for the sailing club.
There was some discussion on the proportion of the particles to be removed and the proportion to be cemented in, but it was generally agreed that the plan to remove particles and to cement in any remaining materials was the best way forward.
I am pleased that Fife Council is prepared to engage in a partnership for the future management of the site after the repair work has been completed.
I have since written to the head of DIO thanking him as he retires for helping solve the remaining problems, and I have thanked SEPA whose officials were present at the meeting and have proved vigilant in demanding action from the original polluter.
I have now written to the new Defence Minister Anna Soubry MP, who has taken over from Andrew Murrison MP, and I have reminded her of the agreement already made while raising questions which have arisen from the Implementation Group meeting about delays in the start of the work.
We were pleased to hear at the group that all work might be completed a year early in 2017 and not, as before in 2018, but surprised that no starting time has been given during 2014 or early 2015 apparently because no finance has been allocated to start work in this financial year.
I believe this is a mistake and unnecessary economy when we could use the autumn period to begin the removal of the particles. I have written to the Minister asking for a reconsideration of this so that a year is not lost in our repair timetable. I will report back to the Community Council when I receive a reply.
At the same time I have thanked SEPA who have now agreed to give legal and technical advice to the sailing club”.
More information can be found at Dalgety Bay Community Council web site www.dalgetybay.org.uk
