Penyffordd Community Council minute - Re Hanson Cement Investigation - long

Below was minuted at a Special Meeting held August 1st.

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83. HANSON CEMENT INVESTIGATION – PUBLIC HEALTH WALES



The Chairman, Cllr T E Jones informed members that he had been approached by the Vice Chairman, Cllr C Bithell, who had been very much involved with the enquiry, which is probably the  most important report ever to become before the Council
He continued that in his opinion the report merits a response, and that he had received a request from the Vice Chairman to call a Special Meeting.



He added that he had been criticized in calling a Special Meeting in August, it was however at his discretion to call this meeting, and as long as a quorum is present, then the business could proceed.
He concluded that the document is of a very professional nature and that it had been compiled by professional people in their appropriate fields.



The Vice Chairman, Cllr C Bithell informed the meeting that the report had been received very late, and that Buckley Town Council had in fact not received a copy of the report prior to the final meeting.
Cllr Bithell referred to Recommendation 1, Communication and Engagement, which is to be improved between Hanson Cement, public agencies and bodies and the local community in order to rebuild trust.



Cllr Bithell continued that the report did not say how communication would be improved.
Cllr Bithell commented that what we want is something put in place to protect the generations to come.
He quoted from the report that dioxin level has been exceeded for six months, and that self reporting is not satisfactory.
He informed that at the meeting that he posed the question how long does it take to catch cancer, unfortunately there was not an answer.
On the whole the report was considered to be poorly written.
Cllr Bithell continued that a monitoring system had been in place, but that cancer is not a notifiable disease.

The Chairman, Cllr T W Jones stated that we must have some credit to the bodies involved, part are environmental people.  And that this is a report that all bodies have agreed to.
With regard to the report, the Chairman, Cllr T W Jones stated that it must be realized that if there are any complaints they will fall back on the report, he questioned who would be competent enough to argue with its content.

Cllr Dr D C Weed informed that he had read the report from back to front; he considered it to be a very good report.

Cllr Mrs L Vidamour stated that the eminent people involved had worked independently not together.

Cllr T W Jones questioned who has prepared the report;  Cllr Mrs L Vidamour responded Public Health Wales is the parent body, and that she did not consider the report to be a whitewash.

Cllr Dr D C Weed considered that Dr Andrew Jones was the wrong person to be in charge of the enquiry.

The Chairman Cllr T W Jones considered that to reject the report outright would be irresponsible and that we should make our own points and direct them to the Secretary of State.

Cllr Dr D C Weed commented that as individuals we can make our own observations to the Environmental Agency.
With regard to self reporting this was considered not to be satisfactory, and that the Environmental Agency should have the right to demand figures, statistics etc from Hanson Cement.
It was considered therefore to look at the recommendations and then to make the necessary points.
Prior to this a paragraph in the report, to the effect that soil samples and animal health had not been taken into account was considered to be negligent, and this would not build trust within the community.
For example milk taken from Dyke Farm had to be mixed with other volumes of milk, before it could be fit for human consumption.

Resolved

That the following points be made.

To Dr Andrew Jones informing that the report was recently considered by the Community Council, the report recognized that communication should be improved between Castle Cement, public agencies and bodies, and the local community, unfortunately the report does not state how communication and engagement will be improved.


The Community Council would recommend therefore that half yearly reports should be prepared on the state of health in the area, included instances of Cancer, and relevant illnesses.

Furthermore there should be more extensive research into the contents of the smaller particles in the atmosphere.
The comment from the Community Council is that all relevant monitoring and sampling is reviewed by regulatory agencies.


The Community Council is concerned that self reporting is not ideal and that the Environmental Agency is not on a regular basis provided with the information, consequently the Environmental Agency should have the powers to demand relevant monitoring figures, statistics and information.
As a general point, under the heading of Building Trust within the community, the report states that animal health was not included in the investigation.
As you will be aware there has been speculation with regard to animal health in the close vicinity of the Castle Cement works, therefore if animal health issues were not included, then this will obviously lead to mistrust in the thoroughness of the investigation.

We are told that mild in the vicinity cannot be used until it is mixed with mild from elsewhere, furthermore there have been animal deaths, which are unaccounted for.
The report therefore should provide updates on soil contamination, animal health with regard to farms surrounding the area.

To the Environmental Agency, that the Community Council welcome any observations which it may have considered, following the report.

The Community Council would wish to extend an invitation to yourselves to attend a special meeting of the Community Council, in order to receive the benefit of your expertise.


4. To Mrs Mary Burrows Chief Executive, Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board, to provide Mr Burrows with copies of correspondence forwarded to Public Health Wales and to the Environment Agency, and a request for any observations that the Board may have stemming from the report which would be of benefit to the Community Council.