Caithness councillor hits out over anti-nuclear group's 'private' meeting at Highland Council HQ

The anti-atomic energy group Nuclear Free Local Authorities has been accused of meddling and staging “closed door briefings” while ignoring local interests.

An invitation to a member-only briefing at Highland Council headquarters in Inverness drew an angry response from Thurso and Northwest Caithness councillor Struan Mackie.

He accused SNP councillor Chris Birt (Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh) and Greens councillor Chris Ballance (Aird and Loch Ness), who are hosting the meeting, of ignoring local feelings in the far north.

Cllr Mackie, who also chairs the Dounreay Stakeholder Group, believes a meeting in Caithness – as the area most affected by nuclear – would be more appropriate than one “hosted by members living hundreds of miles from Caithness”.

“It is clear that NFLA have shown repeated disregard for residents, businesses and stakeholders in Caithness and north Sutherland, the home of Highland's only nuclear sites,” he said.

“Despite the Highland Council voting to support our nuclear industry in the last term, NFLA seek to impose the views of local authorities like Manchester or Glasgow on our area.

“They do this not by engaging with nuclear communities, local stakeholders or members of the public but by closed-door briefings hosted by members living hundreds of miles from Caithness.

“The complexity of our nuclear establishments and the overwhelming support for future development should present real opportunities for our region and the Dounreay and Vulcan workforce.

“Whether it be conventional new-build, fusion technology or the UK SMR programme, supporting the nuclear industry in Caithness is of paramount importance in creating opportunities for our people. That is why I am proud that the current Highland Council policy is to lobby all governments to support new development.

“Given that it is agreed council policy to reject the aims of NFLA, I am concerned that NFLA have been given a forum to engage with members privately, using facilities paid for by Highland taxpayers.

“Perhaps a public meeting in Caithness should have been their first port of call?"

Cllr Ballance argues that the region is not an active nuclear power area and is concerned about the future legacy from Dounreay's radioactive waste.

He said: “This meeting is to hear about the work of Nuclear Free Local Authorities, to help councillors ask questions and decide whether Highland Council should join the numerous other local authorities who make up the organisation.

“Highland currently has no functioning nuclear power sites, and is unlikely to have any in the future. However, the work of decommissioning Dounreay will continue over the next 100 years and more, and the NFLA has an important voice in the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Forum, and the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management and other such regulatory bodies, so it would be appropriate for the council to join with other authorities to have a say in how the decommissioning proceeds.

“Dounreay will continue to provide a significant number of jobs for the next century. Unfortunately these jobs, cleaning up the site, will have to be paid for by our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

“We still have no proven method of long-term storage of highly radioactive waste and it’s important we don’t create an even greater legacy for future generations to deal with.”

He added: “It would be entirely appropriate for the council to join the organisation which works across the UK and Ireland to ensure this.”

Decommissioning of the site at Dounreay is currently due to be complete by 2033, although the date has been subject to several delays over the years.