UKIP's three county councillors have today voted against the Labour motion to cancel the existing contract for the Javelin Park Incinerator.
Councillor Colin Guyton, councillor Richard Leppington and councillor Alan Preest, who all represent divisions in the Forest of Dean, have issued this statement explaining their decision.
It states: "If we were starting this project today, we would have handled this decision making process very differently, and would have insisted upon holding a democratically binding local referendum for all residents within a 10 mile radius of Javelin Park.
"We have all looked into this issue very carefully and have studied the details in great depth. Our decision reflects our careful scrutiny of all the facts.
"We are very clear that cancellation of the contract would cost Gloucestershire County Council taxpayers up to £100million. We believe this would bankrupt our county and would be a catastrophe for all residents, business and our entire community.
"However, we are where we are. We have had to make a responsible decision based upon today's facts, the history of what has happened over many years, and based on the best interests of the people of Gloucestershire.
"As a UKIP team, following our elections in May 2013, we now find ourselves pushed into a corner and in a decision making capacity on a situation that has not been of our making, and one on which we have had no input or control.
"We find ourselves in a very difficult situation with potentially the very future of Gloucestershire at stake. On this issue we have adopted a neutral, un-whipped stance, looking objectively, constructively, with much research, meeting with others, with all the pros and cons closely examined.
"In addition, we strongly object to being forced under an undemocratic European Union Directive, to pay an ever increasing landfill tax.
"Our decision, has been a difficult one, and has been guided by what we believe to be a responsible, pragmatic and rational analysis of the facts and options as they currently stand.
"UKIP Councillors are un-whipped. We are proud of this as it allows us to faithfully represent our local electorates, irrespective of "party line". In some instances, however, this will mean that our local UKIP colleagues may think differently to us on important local issues. This plurality is healthy for democracy and enables all UKIP representatives to fully reflect the precise views of their own local constituents."
