Archived press release

It's Official! Hampshire County County Deliberately Published Misleading Evidence on Incinerator Inquiry

24 April 1996

Friends of the Earth are demanding a public apology from Hampshire following the revelation that the County Council deliberately misreported comments submitted by local Friends of the Earth groups to create the illusion that there was support for the county policy of incinerating waste[1].

Friends of the Earth have acquired a copy of a letter that Mike Hancock CBE, leader of Hampshire County Council, wrote to Councillor Liz Brett,chair of the Public Protection Committee on the 12th April 1996. In the letter [2] he refers to:

"this fact that we have misinterpreted their [Friends of the Earth local groups] responses in a misleading way to give the impression that they[FOE] were backing what we were doing".

He admits to having "some nervousness with" what Hampshire County Council have done and concern over "whether or not it will harm us in any way".

Roger Lilley, national Friends of the Earth Industry and Pollution Campaigner, said today:

"It is outrageous that a public body should deliberately set out to distort submissions made to them in a public consultation. If these are the tactics that supporters of incineration are forced to use then it is clear that they have little confidence in their other arguments."

A public apology is due from Hampshire County Council, not only to Friends of the Earth and its local groups members in Hampshire, but to all the residents of the county who had believed they could rely upon their elected representatives and officers to give a fair appraisal of the evidence submitted. It is difficult to see how anyone can believe that there has been a fair assessment of the case against incineration in Hampshire."

In January [1] Hampshire published claims that its public consultation and market research had shown that 70 per cent in favour of using energy from waste incineration. However these findings were disputed in the study carried out by the Department of Geography at Southampton University. In a press release dated 17th January 1996 [3] Dr Jane Wills of Southampton University Geography Department said "the level of concern about incineration is greater than has been sugested, and residents are supportive of greater waste reduction and recycling than currently taking place."

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] In September 1995 Hampshire County Council consulted on Dealing with Hampshire's Waste - The Proposed Solution'. On 23 January 1996 Hampshire published "Responses to Dealing with Hampshire's Waste -The proposed solution' - Report of the County Surveyors".

[2] letter from Mike Hancock, leader of Hampshire County Council, to Liz Brett , chair of Public Protection Committee (12 April 1996):

"Dear Liz

Thanks for your letter of 10 April concerning John Ekins and the Friends of the Earth; I have replied to John Ekins on this question. What I am concerned about is the way in which perople can choose to misinterpret the way we've used their comments and it is very difficulkt for us then to try to refute the situation. I am clear that they answer questions, I am not quite clear whetherwhat we did would be interpreted as interpreting their views fairly - and that is what I think I have some nervousness with.Whether or not it will harm us in any way is hard to imagine, because I don't know quite what they intend to do about it - but I think Friends of the Earth are beginning to galvanise their arguments against our policy and one of the issues they might choose to raise is this fact that we have misinterpreted their responses in a misleading way to give the impression that they were backing what we were doing.

I hope you understand that. If there are further problems, maybe we can speak about them.

Best wishes

Yours sincerely

Mike Hancock Leader

[3] "Survey findings challenge County waste plans" Press Release 17.1.1996

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT ROGER LILLEY 020 7566 1685

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust