Money will either buy defibrillator or fight incinerator for Northwich (From Northwich Guardian)

Money will either buy defibrillator or fight incinerator for Northwich

3:50pm Friday 8th March 2013 in News By Gina Bebbington

A LIFESAVING defibrillator will be given to residents of a Northwich village if councillors do not help fund a legal battle.

Some Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) members have agreed to donate cash from their members’ budgets to challenge Government approval for a waste plant in Lostock.

But if this does not go ahead, CWAC councillors for Marbury want to buy Barnton a defibrillator.

Clrs Malcolm Byram and Norman Wright, who represent the Marbury ward alongside Clr Don Hammond, explained the situation at the latest Barnton Parish Council meeting.

“We’ve agreed to support a defibrillator in Great Budworth and we’re looking at one in Barnton,” Clr Byram said.

“The cost is from £700 to £1,200 and I would suggest that eventually you would want two.”

Clr Wright said: “It all depends on the Tata inquiry and whether we are going to fund that or not.”

Cheshire Anti Incinerator Network (CHAIN) has been leading the campaign against plans for an energy from waste plant in Griffiths Road, submitted by Tata Chemicals Europe and E.ON.

These proposals were initially rejected by CWAC but then given the go-ahead by the Government in October, following a public inquiry.

After taking legal advice, CWAC decided not to challenge this result as a body, prompting CHAIN to seek its own advice from QC Anthony Crean.

After being informed it had a ‘strong case’ CHAIN started to fundraise for a judicial review and appealed for CWAC members to donate some of their individual £10,000 members’ budgets, which are to be spent on worthy local projects.

The aim of a village defibrillator would be for it to be publicly accessible at all times.