FUNDING FOR CAMBRIDGESHIRE'S DISPOSAL OF REDUNDANT REFRIGERATORS

Early day motion 347, tabled 10 December 2002 by Malcolm Moss (Conservative). Signed by 26 members.

That this House notes that the Government proposes to fund the additional costs to Cambridgeshire County Council, as a result of implementing Article 16(2) of EC Regulation 2037/00 on Ozone Depleting Substances, in the period from 1st April 2002 to 31st March 2003, by means of a special grant allocation of ú362,873; further notes that the estimated actual costs to Cambridgeshire County Council for the storage and disposal of redundant refrigerators during this time period is ú630,000, and that in addition to the estimated cost to East Cambridgeshire District Council of ú11,253, unknown costs for the collection of redundant refrigerators are also being incurred by Cambridge City Council, Fenland District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council; recognises thereby that the total extra cost in Cambridgeshire is in excess of ú641,253; and, in view of the statement by the Minister for the Environment, the Right honourable Member for Oldham West and Royton on local authority funding that 'We are ... taking the realistic view that if extra duties are imposed they should be reasonably funded. That is the Government's policy' (Official Report, 14th January, c125), calls upon the Government to make clear how it intends to fund the shortfall in Cambridgeshire which will not be less than ú278,380.

Signatures by party: Conservative 23, Liberal Democrat 2, Independent Conservative 1.