Corks pop as the talks stop over burial of nuclear waste at former gas terminal site

CAMPAIGNERS and councillors popped open Champagne to celebrate after Lincolnshire County Council pulled out of talks to bury nuclear waste near the coast.

- BY JAMES TURNER Local Democracy Reporter

The executive of the newly Reform UK-led authority voted unanimously to withdraw from a community partnership that had been joined with Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) in 2021, ending Lincolnshire’s involvement in the Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) siting process.

The former gas terminal site in Theddlethorpe was originally earmarked for the development. However, NWS shifted its focus earlier this year to open countryside between Gayton le Marsh and Great Carlton due to competing interests.

Ahead of the local elections in May, Sean Matthews pledged to withdraw from the partnership on day one if he became leader of the council. During a meeting on Tuesday morning (June 3), he confirmed the process had begun immediately.

“Today is the completion of that process, demonstrating that, when we at Reform UK say something, we do it,” he said.

Outside, on the steps of the council offices, East Lindsey district representative Travis Hesketh (Independent) popped a bottle of Champagne to mark the occasion, joining new Reform UK executives and fellow campaigners in celebration.