COUNTY councillors are to vote on whether to “express an interest” in the formal government process to find a location for a deep geological nuclear waste repository in Cumbria.

A recommendation suggesting the move will be debated by Cumbria County Council’s cabinet next Tuesday.

Officials say that expressing an interest “without commitment” would allow the county council to discuss the best solution with the Government for disposing of higher level radioactive waste, but would not involve any commitment that Cumbria would eventually host an underground repository.

This move follows a ‘soundings’ process already carried out by the county council, where the views of local partners and key stakeholders have been canvassed on whether the county council should express an interest. That soundings process revealed substantial support for county council engagement with the government’s programme to site a geological disposal facility.

A nuclear waste repository would have major implications for the whole of Cumbria so the county council is keen to express intent and take full part in the debate as well as working with other stakeholders.

Coun Tim Knowles, Cumbria County Council’s cabinet member responsible for nuclear issues, said: “Next week’s decision is an important one, but I must stress that we’re not making any commitments that Cumbria is the right place to have a nuclear waste repository. That decision can only be made after thorough community consultation and a long process of looking at any proposal in far more detail.

“However, as 70 per cent of the country’s higher level nuclear waste is already stored at Sellafield and the area is at the heart of Britain’s nuclear industry, it’s clear that we need to be talking to Government about the best long-term solution.

“Any decision to locate a repository in Copeland or any other part of Cumbria would have massive implications for the whole county – so it is vitally important the county council are at the table and able to participate in the process.

“The decision will allow us to talk to local people and key stakeholders to find out what they think. The dialogue will take time, effort and resources and the Government will need to back the process every step of the way so that the local decision-making process is robust, transparent and durable.”