COUNCILS taking part in Prosiect Gwyrdd – a scheme involving five South Wales local authorities looking at options for dealing with non-recyclable waste – could face costs of up to £3 million if they withdraw.

But that penalty, said a project spokesman, is not related “to any technology proposal or planning issue.”

Last week, the Argus reported that councillor Bob Bright, Labour group leader on Newport city council, claimed that council leaders had signed up to a deal that could tie Newport to a 25-year incineration plan, by joining four neighbouring councils – Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Cardiff, and the Vale of Glamorgan – in Prosiect Gwyrdd.

He also claimed that the council had been committed to a feasibility study to select a site in the area, in the knowledge it could face a £3m penalty if a proposal for the Bowleaze Common area of Llanwern was accepted by the project committee but refused by the council.

He said a future Labour council would challenge the legality of any such clause. But the project spokesman said: “A legal agreement is in place between the five authorities to set out how the partnership is governed.

“If any partner authority withdraws from the partnership, a cost is incurred for their proportion of the procurement cost. This is capped at a maximum of £3 million, and is not related to any technology proposal or planning issue.”

Meanwhile, environment minister John Griffiths has received a letter from the Labour group, expressing its opposition to proposals for an incinerator in Llanwern.

But while he will respond, he will be unable to comment on individual projects because of his position as minister with responsibility for planning, said a Welsh Government spokesman.