Aims and Purposes
The purpose of the Group is to seek to protect the people and environment of the River Blackwater estuary and its surrounding area, now and in the future, from the risks and dangers of radioactivity by preventing the further development of nuclear activity in the estuary.
To this end the Group has five broad aims:
- to raise public awareness among the Blackwater communities of the potential consequences for health, environment and safety of proposals for new nuclear development;
- to identify key issues of concern and to gather credible and responsible research and information to pursue the case against nuclear development;
- to challenge any proposals for future nuclear power at the Bradwell site by presenting robust evidence and arguments to local and national decision makers, regulatory bodies, the nuclear industry, non government organisations, the media and the general public;
- to support the early and successful decommissioning and clean up of the existing Bradwell nuclear site as an integral element of the long-term protection and conservation of the Blackwater estuary;
- to call for an open, transparent and deliberative decision making process in which local communities are afforded full access to all information and involvement in key decisions affecting them.
Strategy
In pursuit of these aims the Group will develop a strategy with the following components:
1. Information and research
Gathering all available relevant research and evidence on key issues and disseminating it throughout the local communities. This may involve developing a data bank and associated web site.
Liaison and communication with national expert groups (e. g. Nuclear Consultation Working Group, Nuclear Waste Advisory Associates) to ensure relevant expertise is readily available.
Identifying uncertainties and gaps in knowledge and initiating or urging further research.
Encouraging accessible and intelligible information on monitoring of air, water and soil quality in the Blackwater estuary.
2. Raising Public Awareness
Deepening awareness by reaching out to the whole community through leaflets, posters, local media and key local organisations.
Broadening awareness by reaching neighbouring communities around the Blackwater estuary and the surrounding areas including major centres such as Colchester, Maldon and Clacton.
Involving local people through public meetings, petitions, lobbying and other activities.
3. Decision Making
Communicating community concerns to decision makers at local and national levels, including, government ministers, local MPs, County, Borough and Town/Parish Councils.
Ensuring community concerns are fully considered at every stage in decision making, including, environmental appraisal, impact assessment, reactor design, waste management proposals, planning considerations and application.
Ensuring regulatory authorities fully consider those issues specifically relating to health and environmental impacts of a power station at the Bradwell site.
Urging the full implementation of all plans, policies, directives and other programmes that are aimed at the protection and enhancement of the Blackwater estuary.
Working in an open and transparent manner and encouraging other decision makers to act in the same way.
Organisation, Administration and Finance
The Group will be participative and democratic in principle and practice.
Key decisions on strategy will be taken by supporters at open meetings.
A small core group (executive) will be responsible for day-to-day organisation and decision making, referring key decisions to the open meeting.
Sub-groups will undertake specific tasks and functions.
There is a Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Media Relations Officer, Community Awareness Co-ordinator and Strategy Co-ordinator
Fund Raising will be undertaken