You are invited to an Open Parish Meeting at 7.30pm this Tuesday 11th December for an update on Hinkley Point C and Sedgemoor District Council and Somerset County Council decision to sign a “Section 106 Agreement” with EDF which effectively abandoned Combwich.
A “Section 106 agreement” once signed, is a legally binding contract, the terms of which can be enforced under contract law by either party against the other. This agreement which the “councils” signed with EDF in the final stages of the examination of EDF’s proposals by the Planning Inspectorate, allowed them to receive substantial funding from EDF. Immediately prior to the signing, Otterhampton Parish Council in good faith was working together with the District and County Councils to seek the best possible outcome for this parish and particularly Combwich.
It came as a great surprise and not a little anger to learn that the Councils and EDF had done a deal which left us isolated.
This meeting is good opportunity to express how you feel about the process as senior representatives of both councils will be at the meeting to answer your questions about this and other related issues. However, it is important that we also focus on the future and the council officials should be in a good position to explain just what we can expect from them in the future.
As you know the time for us to influence the Planning Inspectorate is long past. Their deadline to submit recommendations to the Secretary of State is the 21st December 2012 although it is unlikely that we will know what those recommendations are at this stage. It is expected that the Secretary of State will announce the government’s decision on the 28th March2012.
We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.
Otterhampton Parish Council