Wirral Labour is seeking an emergency council debate on March 4 concerning the controversial Peak Cluster carbon capture pipeline.
The 200-kilometre project aims to capture emissions from four cement and lime producers before transporting and storing them beneath depleted Morecambe gas fields.
Labour councillors have consistently argued urgent action is necessary.
Cllr Mark Skillicorn said: “In our opinion, this is the biggest, most controversial, and upsetting thing to happen to the Wirral in many years.”
He added: “At this stage, the whole thing could be cancelled rather than going to the next stage of consultation. We need to act now basically.”
However, public opposition has been substantial, with approximately 12,000 signatures on a Wirral Reform petition and nearly 8,000 members joining a Facebook group against the project.
Labour’s bid appears destined to fail as the borough’s four other political parties have declined to support it.
The proposed pipeline debate would need to replace a Conservative-scheduled discussion on significant changes to how the local authority operates, specifically Government plans to move English councils back to a cabinet system from Wirral’s current committee-based decision-making structure.
Labour’s bid appears destined to fail as the borough’s four other political parties have declined to support it
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Liberal Democrat leader Phil Gilchrist has suggested the Peak Cluster issue could instead be addressed at a council meeting on 16 March.
He told the LDRS this would enable councillors to “make meaningful points that we want picked up by the company and answered”.
Cllr Gilchrist added: “I do not want something set in stone that isn’t very constructive in the end.”
Meanwhile, the Conservatives have also thrown their weight behind this approach.
Councillors will hold an emergency meeting on March 4
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Cllr Jeff Green pointed to three public events his party had organised in Hoylake, Greasby, and Clatterbridge when criticising Labour’s approach.
He said: “I can understand why the Labour Party are trying to distance themselves from their own Government policy.”
Cllr Green continued: “The sad thing is that the Labour Party seems to have come very late to this issue. The Conservatives have been out and informing the public for weeks and maybe the Labour Party are just scared.”
He also described the emergency debate bid as “fundamentally, this is a fig leaf by the Labour Party to cover their own embarrassment.”
Locals have signed a petition and joined a Facebook group to oppose the project
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Labour’s council leader Cllr Paula Basnett has insisted the push is not politically motivated.
She said: “I want to be clear that this is not about politics, nor is it about going against government policy. This is about the health and safety of our residents.”
Meanwhile, Green co-leader Cllr Gail Jenkinson acknowledged both matters held importance but expressed reservations about rushing the pipeline discussion.
She added: “I think the Peak Cluster debate is premature until we have more accurate information so we can build up a proper motion to be debated and put forward.”
She explained that the scheduled March 4 debate should proceed as planned, allowing time for a cross-party motion to be developed.
However, Reform’s Cllr Kathy Hodson raised concerns about cramming both debates into a week.
Cllr Hodson insisted councillors must also approve the April budget and respond to a critical report on council finances.
She said: “It’s disingenuous to the public. It should be debated in full with sufficient time.”
