THE District Council does not have an emergency plan to deal with the fallout from a nuclear accident.

Despite decommissioned nuclear power stations such as Berkeley and Oldbury situated just across the river Severn the Forest of Dean District Council does not have its own specific contingency plan in the unlikely event of a nuclear disaster.

Dr Fiona Bowie, from Tidenham, asked members of the District Council’s cabinet what measures were in place should an accident occur at Oldbury Power Station or any other nuclear facility along the Severn or North Somerset Coasts.

“Nuclear power is a dangerous form of energy and I think if the district council’s cabinet tow the government line they should understand the consequences and have emergency plans in place.

“During the Chernobyl disaster the rainfall affected the sheep in Wales. They were painted blue and were not allowed to be used for human consumption.

“In that case a nuclear disaster that happened thousands of miles away affected us and yet our local authority doesn’t have a contingency plan if there is a disaster only three miles away.”

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