Replacement for Bellozanne incinerator and consultation process

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QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY 16th MARCH 2004,

BY DEPUTY G.C.L. BAUDAINS OF ST. CLEMENT

Question 1

Given the high potential cost and many possible alternatives for replacing the Bellozanne incinerator, will the President –

( a ) give an undertaking that he will bring the matter for debate in the States before any commitments are

made?

( b ) advise  what point the Committee has reached in the decision making process? Answer

1. Yes.
2. The previous Committee formed a Waste Strategy Steering Group (WSSG), and the first stage in the procurement programmewas for theWSSG to initiate the formal process of inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI's) from companies with the relevant experience and ability to designandbuild a facility, or facilities, to deal with Jersey's non-inert, (i.e. putrescibleandcombustible),waste.Of the original eleven EOI's received, there are now six companies remaining that are being given further detailed consideration, to establish whether they will be able to tender for the design and building of the plant,when a decision has been madeto proceed.

Question 2

Several weeks ago as part of the rising main relining at Le Bourg, St. Clement, road openings were made, traffic lights installed and initial activity took place. Will the President –

( a )  a ccount for the continuing disruption to traffic and pedestrians caused by these road works, when for

the last two or three weeks there has been no perceptible activity?

( b ) advise when the works are due for completion? Answer

1. I am advised that the traffic controls at Le Bourg have had to remain in place for longer than anticipated, due to an installation problem that the contractor has encountered with the relining works to the Le Bourg pumping station rising main.

D  ue to the length of the rising main, installation of the liner had to be undertaken in two operations, with half

the rising main length being relined during each operation. The first operation was carried out on Thursday 5th February 2004, and was entirely satisfactory.

T  he second, and final, relining operation was carried out two days later on Saturday 7th February 2004.

Subsequent inspection of the second relined length,  clearly showed an unacceptable finish to the relined pipe, and the length in question would not pass the specified pressure test.

T h e Contractor was subsequently informed that the work in this section of pipe was not acceptable, and was

asked for proposals to remedy the problem.

P u blic Services Officers are currently in discussion with the Contractor to agree a solution to the problem,

and until this can be done, the temporary rising main installed at the side of the road will have to remain in place,

as will the traffic signals set up around the excavation that was used for the relining works.

2. The original contract completion date for the schemewas 7th February 2004,andbutfor the problems encountered, the contractor would have completed shortly after this date. At the present time, it is not possible to give a revised completion date for theseworks, as the Contractor has only recently submitted a number of proposalsfor consideration, and it has yet to be determined whichofthesewillbemost suitable.

Question 3

Will the President advise members which, if any, parts of either the Environment or Public Services Departments have been relocated to the Howard Davis Farm at Trinity within the last year?

Answer

I can advise that 18 staff have been relocated to the Howard Davis Farm. These are Environment staff who were formerly housed at South Hill, Bellozanne and the Frances Le Sueur Centre, and who comprised the ecology, water resources and countryside teams.