By Victoria Brenan

Last updated at 13:15, Tuesday, 17 July 2012

A key meeting on the future of nuclear waste in west Cumbria will be held this week.

Thursday’s meeting at the Hunday Manor Hotel, near Workington, follows three years of discussions and consultation by the West Cumbria Managing Radioactive Waste Safely Partnership on proposals for a new underground dump.

They have consulted with around 2,300 individuals and organisations before preparing their final report, which will be discussed by delegates at the meeting.

If approved, the report will then be sent to Allerdale, Copeland and Cumbria county councils.

They will then decide whether to take part in the search for ground suitable for a repository for higher activity radioactive waste.

The partnership has reviewed reports and literature, heard from experts, commissioned independent research and invited reviews by independent experts.

It has also held a series of consultation meetings across the county to gauge the opinions of local people. The partnership’s final report to the councils will set out its opinions on a range of issues related to whether the area should take part in the Government’s search. It includes issues including safety, geology, inventory and community benefits, and the right of withdrawal.

Around 2,300 people and organisations contributed their views during the consultation which ran from November 2011 to March 2012. The councils are likely to make a decision about whether or not to take part in the search for a site during the autumn.

In order for an area to proceed to the next stage, there would need to be agreement by a borough council and the county council.

Members of the public are allowed to attend the meeting, which starts at 9.30am.

There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the morning session.

Anyone interested in attending should contact catherine.little@copeland.gov.uk or phone the 0800 048 8912.

For more information on the partnership and to view the agenda and draft final report go to the website www.westcumbriamrws.org.uk

First published at 11:27, Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk