October 2023 LTC Task Force Meeting

The October 2023 LTC Task Force meeting took place on Mon 16th October, the agenda for this meeting can be found here.

The meeting was webcast live and is also available on the council’s YouTube channel so you can watch again, and our update covers some of the highlights.

Update on first 3 months of LTC DCO Examination

The main item on the agenda was an update presented by Mark Bradbury (Interim Director of Place, Thurrock Council) and Chris Stratford (Consultation on Thurrock Council’s LTC team).

The verbal update covered an update around the half way point of the LTC DCO examination.

The sheer scale and volume of the examination documents and paperwork was highlighted, and it was mentioned that both Laura from TCAG and Chris Stratford had been attending the examination meetings.  Mark also acknowledged the amount of work by everyone and thanked Chris and the rest of the council’s LTC team, and Laura and the rest of the TCAG team, as well as other parties such as the ports, all of whom have worked together throughout the examination where possible.

Chris then went on to give an update on how the examination was going, highlighting the upcoming hearings and deadlines, and the process involved.

Laura updated on The Wilderness, and how difficult it is to get Ancient Woodland Status, and updated members that a new category, Long Established Woodland had been introduced.  She went on to advise that The Wilderness is one of the first woodlands in the country to be added to the new Long Established Woodland inventory.

She also commented that a reporter from The Observer had approached TCAG to ask if we had heard anything about the Government backing away from its commitment to the LTC.  When Government had been questioned they had said they could not comment as it was a live DCO.  Yet it was highlighted that they hadn’t backed away from their commitment to LTC in March when they announced the 2 year delay, despite the DCO also being live at that time.

Laura later went on to say what cracking questions the Examiners had been asking, and commented on how they had been holding NH accountable and pushing for info they wanted.  She highlighted that they had commented that they were dismayed about how big the gap was between parties on certain aspects, as well as the lack of information and meaningful engagement.  Chris clarified that the use of the word dismayed had been used specifically in regard to the issues surrounding the Orsett Cock.

Chris covered many different aspects in regard to mitigation, compensation, involvement in the examination by the ports.

Cllr Fraser Massey concluded the meeting by thanking everyone on the council’s LTC team and TCAG for the very impressive work being undertaken.

 

Related

LTC Task Force meetings – click here

LTC DCO Updates Index – click here