MoD given three months to provide information on future of Vulcan site in Caithness
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The Ministry of Defence has been given three months to provide information about the future of its Vulcan site in Caithness or face expulsion from a local liaison group.
The ultimatum was delivered by Dounreay Stakeholders Group (DSG), which has become increasingly frustrated by the lack of information about the future of the site and the lack of clarity over options for decommissioning which is expected to get under way at the start of 2023. Members have tried to get details about what is happening for a number of years and has written to the MoD and ministers for answers without success.
At Wednesday night's virtual meeting, they decided on "the radical step" of giving the MoD until September to provide the information they want or risk being removed from the stakeholders group to which it has belonged since it was set up in 2005. A letter is to be sent to the ministry and to the defence secretary Ben Wallace.
Vulcan has played a key role in the UK’s nuclear submarine programme for 50 years but in 2015 the plug was pulled on the pressurised water reactor and the MoD later announced it had no future need for the site.
The DSG chairman, Councillor Struan Mackie, said the MoD had been promising an update on "the future direction of travel" at Vulcan for some time but had not delivered. He said the position was becoming unsustainable, although he hoped it could be resolved.
"This information is vitally important to the community, to the staff and to the local supply chain who deserve to know what the immediate future looks like and should have been provided before now," he said.
"It is incredibly disappointing. Vulcan [and Dounreay] are of paramount importance to this community and we need to know what the long-term plans are for the Vulcan site. We were expecting an update in March and then something after the elections in May but still nothing is forthcoming.
"We know these decisions are taken far, far away from here but the lack of information we are getting is really disappointing. Massive changes are going to take place and we still do not have key information. We have exhausted every avenue we have to provide proper engagement."
Councillor Mackie stressed that he is "incredibly proud" of the work undertaken at the Vulcan site.
Vice-chairman Davie Alexander said DSG has been "extremely patient" over the issue. "The MoD does not wish to engage with us in the way we would like," he said.
"This has been an ongoing issue and it is very disappointing we are not provided with the information we need. It is not the people on the site but their paymasters in London who decide what they can say and what they can't say.
"It is really frustrating. We should have meaningful engagement, as we are interested in the future of the site and the plans for decommissioning."
Former DSG chairman Roger Saxon said members are told about "safety plans, cut fingers and blocked toilets" but are getting platitudes when it comes to the future of the site. "We need some positive responses," he said. "We hear more through the grapevine than we do from the MoD."
Councillor Matthew Reiss said the MoD is "extremely welcome" in Caithness but added that leadership is about listening and responding to the community and showing it respect and courtesy. "We need some certainty about what is happening so people can plan their lives," he said.
Bob Earnshaw, another past DSG chairman, also argued the problem had been "going on for far too long" and said the issue needed to be addressed.
Tor Justad, who chairs Highlands Against Nuclear Transport, described the MoD as "a secretive organisation" and said it is "almost impossible to get answers from them", adding: "They don't understand community engagement."
Councillor Mackie proposed giving the MoD until the next DSG meeting to come up with the answers they need or face being thrown off the committee and having to set up their own liaison group. He stressed it was a move he did not take lightly. He was seconded by Mr Alexander.
But Dave Broughton wondered if that would be counter-productive and result in DSG "getting no communication whatsoever" about what is going on at Vulcan.
His reservations were shared by former councillor Gillian Coghill and Mr Justad but in the end the meeting voted unanimously in favour of the proposal. It was agreed to record the reservations expressed.
