The leader of Allerdale council has launched a staggering broadside against Sellafield Ltd, telling the firm it needs to do more than “sprinkle a bit of fairy dust” over West Cumbria.

Alan Smith has thrown down the gauntlet to the nuclear company after the publication of its Social Impact Strategy.

But Sellafield has hit back immediately, saying it has invested "many millions of pounds" directly and indirectly in West Cumbria.

It added: "In addition to the £500,000 direct funding we provide to Allerdale Borough Council, we have funded projects like the Port of Workington, the National College for Nuclear, Energus, the Construction Skills Centre, the Maryport Harbour upgrade and the Derwent Park upgrade, among others."

The company said it had published the report as it wants to help West Cumbria respond to its economic challenges as reprocessing at the site nears completion and the longer term decommissioning picks up pace.

But Councillor Smith is scathing of the 14-page report, based on a study by Oxford Economics from June 2017.

He said: “It’s just another glossy report. West Cumbria was supposed to be ‘futureproofed’ in 2004 with the memorandum of understanding signed by the Government.

“In reality, we’ve been ridden roughshod over for the last 14 years. This is the time for West Cumbria to stand up and campaign for change.

“Sellafield is right. It does have a massive impact on the area, but in Sellafield’s eyes, its impact stops at Distington.

“The Oxford Economics report tells us nothing that we didn’t know in 2004 but the company’s approach hasn’t delivered the real change that is needed.

“They have spent around £15 million in Copeland and Allerdale gets £500,000 each year from its socio-economic fund. While this investment is welcome it doesn’t address the key challenges.

“Twenty five per cent of Sellafield’s wage bill comes into Allerdale. The workers who live in Copeland are getting value for money from their employer. Twenty five per cent of its workers do not.”

The Oxford Economics report says Allerdale residents are paid around £122 million per annum by Sellafield Ltd.

He has pledged to write to the Government and lobby MPs to make sure the whole of West Cumbria benefits from the nuclear complex’s strategy for the future.

He added: “I know I’m going to get a lot of stick for this.

“This is not about the old rivalries between Copeland and Allerdale – if plans for a unitary authority go ahead, there probably won’t be an Allerdale or a Copeland.

“This is about West Cumbria, our futures and our children’s futures.

“There is abject poverty across West Cumbria – right on Sellafield’s doorstep in places like Egremont and Cleator Moor, as well as Workington’s Moss Bay and it is being, quite frankly, ignored.

“They are giving the sweeties to the town of Whitehaven but not everyone can get a look in.

“The approach taken with socio-economic funding is not working – it’s just sprinkling fairy dust to make us believe it is - we want to work with Sellafield, the NDA and other partners, but the nuclear industry has to meet us halfway.

“The impact of Sellafield is so big, we need their help.”

A Sellafield spokesperson said: "Sellafield Ltd has invested many millions of pounds in both Copeland and Allerdale in recent years, directly and indirectly.

"In addition to the £500,000 direct funding we provide to Allerdale Borough Council, we have funded projects like the Port of Workington, the National College for Nuclear, Energus, the Construction Skills Centre, the Maryport Harbour upgrade and the Derwent Park upgrade, among others.

"We are also working closely with our supply chain to ensure that more local SMEs are involved in Sellafield’s £2 billion a year publicly funded decommissioning programme, and to help them unlock opportunities elsewhere.

"As part of this, a recent trade mission engaged nine separate companies based in Allerdale.

"We commissioned the Oxford Economic Report so that we could identify the issues faced in West Cumbria and work with local stakeholders to help address them.

"Sellafield Ltd cannot meet the challenges facing the local economy alone. These can only be addressed by business, local and national leaders, trade unions and local authorities working together in partnership.

"Representatives from Allerdale are invited to join Sellafield Ltd’s newly created Development Advisory Board, chaired by Jamie Reed.

"We look forward to working with them."