Landfill fight set to restart

BEXHILL Against Landfill and Incineration will re-launch its campaign against further landfill and incineration in Bexhill this September with an appeal for both funds and volunteers.

"We are determined Bexhill will not be dumped on again!" says BALI chairman Nick Hollington.

The campaign is entering a new phase following the approval of the County Waste Plan identifying Ashdown Bricks as the only site in East Sussex for landfill. Following its newly formed alliance with Highwoods Golf Club, BALI has decided to streamline its organization to meet the new challenges, reforming into two specialist groups: BALI, and Friends of BALI.

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"BALI will continue the campaign, enlisting cross-party support from Bexhill councillors as well as environmental groups and specialists, monitoring the latest developments, and engaging with key players such as ESCC, Ibstock and Veolia (formerly Onyx).

"With the aid of its legal consultants DMH Stallard, it will seek to influence the new Waste Development Framework being prepared at county."

The chairman says: "It will also concern itself with waste management and other environmental issues throughout Bexhill. We cannot be just NIMBYs. It's no good us just saying 'Don't put your rubbish here!'. We need also to promote the reduction and recycling of waste so that less landfill and incineration are required.

"Friends of BALI will focus on fund-raising for both this on-going campaign and also in readiness for any landfill application when more substantial funds, estimated at 50,000, will be needed to afford top legal and professional representation."

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Senior fund-raiser Mike Rosner says: "We learn the lesson of Mountfield where the community raised similar funds for a top barrister who succeeded in removing a proposed incinerator from the Waste Local Plan".

Friends of BALI will ask local businesses, societies and concerned citizens to each place 100 in an interest-bearing account held by trustees for a maximum period of five years only to be used in case of a waste contractor bidding to use the Ashdown site, otherwise the money will be returned to the donors with the interest accrued.

It is hoped to attract 500 such donors, hence the scheme's title: the BALI 500 Club. An information pack is currently being prepared for the scheme's launch in September.

Mike Rosner says: "We appeal to the more affluent members of our community to help us help you.

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"If there is another local landfill it is not only residents living near the Ibstock quarries that will suffer; it will be residents throughout Bexhill and on the lorry routes to and from the site. We will lose our precious SSSI and beauty spot the High Woods. Property prices will plummet and the whole business and image of the town will suffer".

The BALI 500 Club will be formally announced at the next Bexhill Town Forum at the Manor Barn on September 5 together with BALI's new programme of fundraising events and an appeal for new volunteers.

Nick Hollington says: "I don't want to give the impression we are just after large cheques.

"We urgently need more help of all kinds, not just fund-raisers, but secretaries, technical and environmental experts (lawyers, engineers, geologists, etc.), publicity assistants, or just simply campaigners who care about Bexhill and the environment".

Anyone wishing to enquire about volunteering for BALI before the Town Forum is invited to leave a message and their phone number on 07813 363434 or write to BALI, PO Box 194, Bexhill, TN40 9BD.

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