Community support arrangements
Introduction
In the “Managing Radioactive Waste Safely: a Framework for Implementing Geological Disposal” White Paper, Government has accepted that “Engagement Packages” and “Community Benefits Packages” will form part of the arrangements for siting a geological disposal facility, subject to their affordability and value for money. Such Engagement and Community Benefits Packages would recognise that a community which expressed an interest in hosting a facility should be enabled to participate in the selection process; and that a community which hosts a geological disposal facility for higher activity radioactive wastes will be volunteering an essential service to the nation. A community will want to ensure that the impact of a geological disposal facility on their long term social and economic prospects is understood and that the needs of future generations are addressed appropriately.
The nature of these arrangements would form part of the discussions between the community, Government and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).
Engagement Packages
Costs of local community engagement in the process will be funded, either partly or wholly, through Government to assist communities in considering the issues. What support, and the point at which it is available, will be something to be considered in the scope of initial discussions following an Expression of Interest.
Communities that have taken a Decision to Participate will incur costs in setting up and operating a Community Siting Partnership and so the work of a Partnership will also be supported through the Engagement Package.
Subject to overall budget and programme approval, and audit arrangements agreed with Government, it will be for a Community Siting Partnership to decide exactly how it spends its funding in seeking to fulfil its mission.
Government expects that a local authority will be the employing organisation for the Community Siting Partnership and a local authority member of the Community Siting Partnership will be the budget holder. Therefore the Partnership will be accountable to the local authority for the management of the budget and will be subject to Local Authority budget management rules as well as agreed audits.
Based on the proposed role of a Community Siting Partnership, Government anticipates that such funding might cover:
- salaries and associated costs of Community Siting Partnership staff
- office costs and overheads
- organisational costs of running the Community Siting Partnership and any working groups it might establish
- commissioning specialist advice
- reimbursement for out of pocket expenses of Community Siting Partnership members
- public information
- liaison, consultation and engagement
- process evaluation
Community Benefits Packages
Construction and operation of a geological disposal facility will be a multi-billion pound project that will provide skilled employment for hundreds of people over many decades. It will contribute greatly to the local economy and wider socio-economic framework. There could be spin-off industry benefits, infrastructure benefits, benefits to local educational or academic resources, and positive impacts on local service industries that support the facility and its workforce. It is also likely to involve major investments in local transport facilities and other infrastructure, which would remain after the facility had been closed.
As such, hosting a geological disposal facility is likely to bring significant economic benefits to a community in terms of employment and infrastructure, maintained over a long period.
Any community that ultimately hosts a geological disposal facility will be keen to understand and agree the nature of these benefits, and will expect Government and the NDA to ensure that the project contributes to its development and wellbeing.
In addition there may be other benefits which may be commensurate with developing the social and economic wellbeing of a community that has decided to fulfil such an essential service to the nation. Government acknowledges that it could be at least a century until final closure of an entire facility is possible and so the development and operation of a geological disposal facility is an intergenerational issue. The local needs arising from the development are also likely to have an inter-generational element. This point was raised by a number of consultation responses and an approach needs to be identified that recognises and addresses the potential impact on a community over the long timescales involved.
Accepting that delivery mechanisms to achieve this will be developed as discussions progress, and without wishing to pre-judge what these might be, the following could be some of the overarching objectives for the investment that a community might benefit from as a result of hosting a geological disposal facility:
- Improved local training/skills development/education investment
- Increased business for local service industries
- Improved public services/infrastructure/housing/recreational facilities
- Improved transport infrastructure
- Better local healthcare to meet the increased needs of the community
- Local environmental improvement
This list is illustrative rather than exhaustive as short and long term local needs may vary depending on the community that hosts the facility.
Government does not believe it sensible to specify at this stage what specific mechanisms could be used, or to define the level or nature of benefits. Government remains open-minded, believing that any Benefits Packages should be developed between communities, the Government and NDA as discussions progress, taking into account local needs, affordability and value for money considerations.
As potential host communities and Community Siting Partnerships work with the NDA and Government they should begin a dialogue about the local needs arising from hosting a geological disposal facility. Final agreement on a package that delivers appropriate investment in the Host Community may take time, and possibly some years, as the precise nature and means of delivery of the geological disposal facility becomes clearer.
Page last modified: 3 July 2008
Page published: 12 June 2008