Science Dumps Struggle

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nisedby ARTHUR BOUGH LAST year SO Science carried the story of the fight of residents in the Sandyford district of • Stoke against a toxic waste tip. After a local SO supporter and another Labour Party member discovered what was going to happen at the tip a campaign was rapidly launched to stop things in their tracks.

The progress of the campaign is a classic example of the way in which right wing Labour councillors allow council officials to run things, and the tactics these counciliors adopt to exempt themselves from criticism.

One of the District Councillors for the area was a member of the Planning Committee which in 1979 had authorised toxic waste tipping at the site, whilst another District Councillor for the area was also a County councill (for a different area sitting on the Waste Disposal Committee which had approved the licence to tip toxic waste at the site. Not surprisingly therefore their reaction was extremely hostile to the two of us who had told the residents what was going on.

We were told that no one should have been told because it would embarrass the Labour-controlled Council. In the weeks that followed all kinds of threats were made against us from libel actions to a mysterious motion of censure to be discussed at the District Party EC which just as mysteriously disappeared.

Phone calls were made to other residents warning them against Trotskyists and trouble makers using them for their own ends.

After two meetings attended by several hundred people, the councillors decided they had better come out with verbal support for the residents. In the background however, they continued at best to do nothing.

If they hoped the residents would quickly tire and could be split they were in large measure wrong. But it was not until after months of bland assurances that things began to disastrously wrong for the Council.

In September an explosion at the tip rocked nearby houses. ' Tipping was halted while an investigation was conducted. As this was paid for by the company tipping • at the site, Cleanaway, residents were not surprised when it turned out whitewash.

But tipping of toxic waste had been stopped for several weeks, and now District Council elections were beginning to figure in the Council's thinking. The outcome is that the County Council has now bought the site from Cleanaway for use as a domestic refuse tip.

Whilst this was not the solution that many residents had hoped for, it has generally been accepted as a victory against the Council, and has helped to stimulate other residents in the area to protest against other bureaucratic Council decisions which are blighting their environment.

Ironically, in the last 12 months two other proposals for toxic waste tips have been made in the City, one on the City Council Deputy Leader's ward. After all the publicity that had been attracted over Sandyford other Councillors knew a good election ploy when they saw one.

Guardians Not only did the City Council adopt a policy of opposition to the siting of all toxic tips in the City, but the Labour Party proudly presented this policy to the voters in the District elections as proof of what guardians of the people the Council really are. ..if

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Socialist Organiser no.90 June 24 1982 Page 13 -rom Sume 5 march ANNE CONNELL argues the case for Women's March fo Jobs to widen the -hiz men in