GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S Labour Party has requested an extraordinary meeting to hold a vote to cancel the council’s Javelin Park incinerator contract.

A written request has been submitted by five Labour councillors, voicing dismay at Eric Pickles’ decision to grant permission to build an incinerator in the county.

In September the Labour group passed a motion calling on council officers to brief councillors about the financial implications of cancelling the contract, though the costs have not yet being revealed.

By calling for the debate to cancel the incinerator contract the Labour group hopes the costs will be made available to councillors and the public.

Leader of the Labour group Lesley Williams said: “The Labour Party has always been against building an incinerator at Javelin Park. The public are overwhelmingly against it and the county council’s own planning committee voted unanimously to reject it.

“Everyone but the Tories knows that building an incinerator is a bad idea. Their arrogance and contempt for public opinion is beyond the pale. The people of Stroud have spoken against the incinerator, but the Tories have not listened.

“But despite the widespread opposition, we are running out of options to stop this monstrosity from being built. We do not have the resources to launch a judicial review. Our only option is to ask councillors at the county council to cancel the incinerator contract. That is why Labour is calling for an extraordinary meeting.

“We know there are better ways of disposing of our waste than building a dirty incinerator that will scar the Gloucestershire landscape for years.

“Today I am calling on opposition councillors who have been opposed to the incinerator to unite behind this motion and vote to cancel the incinerator contract before it is too late.”

The Conservatives on the county council have responded to Labour's request, calling their move a "nakedly political plan" and warning of the costs involved in cancelling the incinerator development.

Cabinet Member for Resources Cllr Ray Theodoulou said: “The independent planning inspector didn’t agree with them, so Labour want to cancel a contract signed in 2012.

"That contract capped the risk the council faced if planning was rejected. But no contract can cap the risk that one side will cancel it for party political reasons.

"Labour’s plan would cost the council millions that we simply don’t have – not just in compensation for breaking the contract, but in environmental fines, new procurement and legal costs and in the loss of the £150 million savings this project will bring.

"They need to be honest with people – how many jobs will be lost, and which services cut, in support of this nakedly political plan."

Liberal Democrats on Gloucestershire County Council, while agreeing with Labour's anger at the incinerator's approval, have called their decision to call an extraordinary meeting before knowing the cancellation costs of the development "hasty and irrational."

Leader of the Liberal Democrat group Cllr Jeremy Hilton said: “The decision to approve planning permission by the Conservative Secretary of State is to be condemned. Mr Pickles has ignored the unanimous decision of the county council’s planning committee to refuse permission to build a massive waste incinerator at Javelin Park and has gone against much public opposition.

“Labour’s decision to request an extraordinary council meeting before knowing all the costs is however hasty and irrational. They have called this meeting solely for political purposes without first considering the costs involved.

“Liberal Democrats have asked the council to provide the full cost of cancelling the contract, a decision that was resolved at a full council meeting in September once Mr Pickles had made his decision.

“We shall need to consider these costs extremely carefully. At the end of the day, we cannot keep dumping our rubbish in the ground.

“The penalty to Norfolk County Council in cancelling their incinerator contract was at least £33 million. It could be a similar sum in Gloucestershire. This sort of money would pay for a lot of services.

“We are demanding that the Tory administration at Shire Hall gives councillors access to all confidential information on the incinerator contract now before a vote on its future can be determined. Until then, Liberal Democrats will reserve our judgement on the Labour proposition.”

As it stands, UBB, who have the contract to design and construct the incinerator, will be reviewing the Secretary of State's decision in full and construction will begin as soon as possible.