Council vows support for Toxic Town public inquiry

A council leader says he will support a public inquiry into contaminated land in a town, following a report published last week that revealed it could pose a risk to human health.

The charity Earthwatch Europe says trained citizen scientists have found potentially harmful levels of metal or metalloid at 52 freshwater sites across Corby.

Children in Corby have been born with birth defects, believed to have been caused when steelworks were demolished in the 1980s.

As first reported in the NN Journal, Martin Griffiths, Reform UK leader of North Northamptonshire Council said: "We have nothing to hide."

He added: "We would welcome a genuinely independent examination of the historic events and the questions that remain unanswered, and we would cooperate fully with any inquiry established by the government."

Griffiths challenged the Labour MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, Lee Barron, to take his longstanding calls for a public inquiry directly to the Labour government.

In response, Barron said it was "baffling" the council would ask for a public inquiry.

He said the authority needed to immediately publish a plan to investigate and clean up any contaminated land.

Barron said: "It is important that North Northamptonshire Council investigates the [Earthwatch] report.

"People deserve answers and it is the role of the council to provide them."

Earlier this week, Barron wrote to both the leader of North Northamptonshire Council and the Health Secretary Yvette Cooper.

In his letters, seen by the BBC, he said the findings from the environmental charity "need to be investigated as a matter of urgency".

He has also called on the health secretary to "ensure North Northamptonshire Council take immediate action to clean up any contaminated land".

Earlier this year, a number of families gathered outside North Northamptonshire's Corby headquarters calling for a public inquiry to clarify the situation.

Des Collins, the solicitor who represented families affected by the town's toxic waste scandal, said: "We welcome the leader's announcement, which finally admits what we have been telling his council for the past year - our clients need, and deserve, a public inquiry as it is the only feasible way of getting to the truth behind the disposal of toxic waste around Corby."

He urged Barron and the council to push for an inquiry with the Cabinet Office.

"Quite literally, local lives depend on it," said Collins.

A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care said: "The government is aware of this issue, and the relevant agencies are monitoring the situation closely to keep the public safe.

"The UK Health Security Agency will continue to provide the necessary support to local authorities, and the Environment Agency will keep the situation under review and will determine whether further action is required."

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