Corby Council Leader Offers Support for Public Inquiry into Contaminated Land
North Northamptonshire Council's leader stated support for an independent inquiry following a report highlighting potential health risks from contaminated land.
The leader of North Northamptonshire Council has pledged support for a public inquiry into contaminated land in Corby, following a recent report that identified potential risks to human health. Martin Griffiths, the Reform-UK leader of the council, stated that the authority has “nothing to hide” and would “cooperate fully with any inquiry established by the government.”
An independent examination of historical events and unanswered questions would be welcomed, Griffiths said.
He also urged the Labour MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, Lee Barron, to convey the council's stance to the Labour government. "If Lee Barron and his Government believe a public inquiry is necessary, we are ready to support his efforts to secure one," Griffiths added.
Earlier this year, a report by the charity Earthwatch Europe indicated that trained citizen scientists found potentially harmful levels of metals or metalloids at 52 freshwater sites across Corby. This follows concerns that have long been raised about children born with birth defects in the town, which some believe are linked to the demolition of steelworks in the 1980s.
In response to the council leader’s statement, Lee Barron called the request for a public inquiry “baffling.” Barron stated that the council should instead focus on immediately publishing a plan to investigate and remediate any contaminated land. "People deserve answers and it is the role of the council to provide them," he said.
