A COMMUNITY liaison body set up at Hinkley Point power station in 1987 has been reformed and renamed as a step towards decommissioning. The Hinkley Point Local Community Liaison Council (LCLC) was formed as a means of informing local organisations and the community on matters arising from the operation of the nuclear sites. It has now been reformed and renamed Hinkley Point Site Stakeholder Group (HPSSG) As well as holding twice-yearly meetings, the LCLC members have acted as a conduit for passing on details from regular power station newsletters, reports and other correspondence from the station managers as well as from other organisations such as the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate. In June 2003, British Nuclear Group responded to the Government White Paper 'Managing the Nuclear Legacy' by committing itself to reforming LCLCs ahead of the creation of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) in April this year. LCLC members were invited to attend an independently facilitated national conference to consider the future role, constitution and methods of operation for the future. Independent reform groups were then set up at each site and have been considering the best way to move forward. The changes are a result of this consultation process. The HPSSG will be used as the main forum for ongoing dialogue between the local community, the NDA, the regulators and the site operators British Nuclear Group and British Energy. It will be independently chaired and each meeting will have an open session for members of the public. The bulk of the membership will continue to be representatives of parish, district and county councils. There is also provision in the new constitution for additional membership of local non-government organisations. Anyone who would like a copy of the new constitution or is interested in joining the the group should contact its secretary Sharon Stewart on 01278 654283 or at sharon. [email protected]">[email protected].
