Norfolk bidding for PFI credits for waste management plant

Norfolk council is preparing a bid for private finance initiative (PFI) credits so that it can secure a waste management contract to process 200,000 tonnes of residual waste.

The county is hopeful that its Outline Business Case will help secure £73.6 million in PFI credits from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) which would cover half the cost of a new waste plant.

Remaining funding would be provided by a private firm, with the county council hoping to enter into a 25-year arrangement for waste treatment.

As part of the council’s research into potential waste management alternatives, councillors visited an energy-from-waste facility in Lincolnshire as well as promising to consult with the public.

However, campaigners have said that they will object to plans for a plant which follows the same model after they managed to put an end to plans to build a incinerator in Costessey.

Tim East, Liberal Democrat councillor for Costessey, told the Evening News: "Energy from waste is a euphemism for incineration. How can members of the public make an informed decision on the sparse information and detail provided?"