As reported yesterday (East Sussex) the Audit Commission found that the PFI contract would improve the county's current performance which it marked as “fair”.
Today a spokesperson for the council said that East Sussex, which has a population of 500,000, was delighted with the report “which confirms PFI as an excellent project for us.”
In response to the report some immediate action has been taken by East Sussex, including improving signage. On recommendations that parts of any PFI contract should be strengthened the council is “working with the two bidders to implement the other recommendations.”
Selection of a preferred contractor – either Onyx Aurora or Viridor Tiru – is due in the Spring with an “immediate start”.
One area of the Audit Commission report remains unresolved, that of disagreement among local authorities and community groups over some points of the PFI plan. This concerns energy from waste which has caused particular controversy in the two areas where sites have been identified in waste local plans.
Currently, local groups are opposed to EFW developments at Mountfield near Battle and Newhaven. The situated complicated by the fact that both sites are in Liberal Democrat wards, whereas the council is controlled by the Conservatives.
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