Keeping open and transparent dialogue going with a wide range of
external stakeholders is a key commitment of the Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority's (NDA) strategy – and last week (April
7 & 8) those groups opposed to the industry got their chance
to have their say.
The first ever NDA/Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) site
visits took place in Cumbria, with the ambition of encouraging
challenge, scrutiny and wider understanding of the NDA's mission.
Members of the NGO Forum, including several organisations opposed
to the nuclear industry, met with NDA, Sellafield Ltd and Nuclear
Waste Services (NWS), and also visited both the Sellafield site
and the Low Level Waste Repository, where they were able to see
first-hand some of the decommissioning work taking place and
better understand how nuclear waste is safely managed, stored and
disposed of.
Senior managers from NDA, Sellafield Ltd and NWS were on hand to
answer questions from the NGOs and provide an overview of the
work taking place.
The NDA/NGO Forum includes representatives from Nuclear-Free
Local Authorities, who represent local authorities in the UK and
Ireland opposed to nuclear power, and regional NGOs around the
NDA's sites, including the Ayrshire Radiation Monitoring Group,
Highlands Against Nuclear Power, and Nuclear Waste Advisory
Associates.
Across two-days of warm sunshine in Cumbria, the Forum meeting
and site visits enabled discussion on a wide range of NDA
activities.
The NDA updated the Forum on preparations for the next iteration
of its decommissioning strategy and the recent government policy
announcement on plutonium disposition. The NGOs focused on
community partnerships, waste hierarchy, site end states and
ongoing development on-site at Sellafield.
Paul Vallance, NDA Group Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and
co-chair of the NDA/NGO Forum, said:
As we celebrate the NDA's 20th year, our commitment to
openness and transparency is as important as ever.
Engaging with the communities and stakeholders around our sites
on our mission, its complex challenges and how we're addressing
these underpins our licence to operate. We really value the
scrutiny and collaborative atmosphere for discussion the forum
brings. Hearing from stakeholders is hugely valuable, providing
support and challenge in equal measure.
Rita Holmes, the co-chair of the Forum from the NGO side, said:
The NDA is to be commended for its genuine commitment to openness
and transparency. It has made such a difference, enabling local
people to directly raise concerns and ask questions of the
management, the NDA and the regulators about plans and progress
at their local site. This was something that did not happen
before the NDA came into being.
We were often ignored, fed unsubstantiated assurances or even
misinformed. This engendered a lack of trust. The
current ethos set by the NDA over the past 20 years, has set the
bar high for other organisations and businesses wishing to
liaise with our communities. Not all display such social
responsibility.
Congratulations on the 20th anniversary of the NDA and a thank
you to Sellafield and LLWR staff who answered all our questions
and gave exceptionally interesting and informative presentations.
This is the first visit to NDA sites by members of the forum
since it was created three years ago as part of the NDA's
commitment to allow greater inclusivity of viewpoints, and
challenge and encourage wider scrutiny of its activities.
The NDA is tasked by the government with safely, securely and
sustainably decommissioning the UK's earliest nuclear sites and
the management of radioactive waste.
The NDA/NGO forum was established to share insights and expertise
on topics relating to the NDA's mission and meets three times per
year to discuss topics related to nuclear decommissioning.
In addition, NGOs continue to engage with the NWS/NGO Exchange
established by NWS on waste management and geological disposal.
