At the county council meeting on Tuesday, Labour councillor John Tanner put a motion, amended by the Liberal Democrats, which read: “This council believes that the cabinet is mistaken in signing a 25-year multi-million pound contract with Viridor for a waste incinerator at Ardley.

“The decision fails to recognise the 10 per cent reduction in residual waste in the last two years.

“It commits £25m a year of taxpayers’ money at a time of austerity.

“It will create a blot on the Oxfordshire countryside and make our county the recipient of other people’s rubbish for years to come. We call on the cabinet to think again and reconsider mechanical biological treatment or one of the other newer technologies.”

A number of members of the public expressed support for the motion. Points raised included: l The availability of cleaner, cheaper and more energy efficient technologies.

l The high cost for all council tax payers over a 25-year period if the incinerator is built.

l The fact that councillors supporting the cabinet would be voting blind, as they had not seen any financial information on which to base a value for money assessment.

There were no representations from the public against the motion.

The debate that followed saw much guffawing and heckling.

Councillors may see this as an opportunity for political posturing, but managing waste is not a political issue.

It is driven by need, cost, the appropriate technology and location. The people of Oxfordshire deserve better than this.

The vote? 21 for, 46 against. There are 21 non-Conservative councillors, the others are all Conservatives.

Twelve councillors who represent the Cherwell area voted against the clear position of the district council.

All Conservative councillors voted against their own Government’s position with regard to the management of waste – and the wishes of their public. I dare say the current Government would relish the kind of loyalty from its MPs that the county council is shown by its members.

This is not Nimbyism. North Oxfordshire residents would welcome a discussion around the “best” solution, not the “only” solution.

We need one based on the proximity principle and the interests of the public, rather than one based on making money for a large commercial organisation and the county council.

Dr Ian F Groves Station Road Ardley