A RESIDENTS' group is glowing with rage after being asked for its views on the disposal of Capenhurstactive waste.

Members of the Canal Basin 'Thatmunity Forum, which covers the Garden Lane/Whipcord Lane area of Chester, say they do not have any nuclear physicists in their midst.

And they couldn't believe their eyes when an information pack and consultation document arrived in the post asking for opinions on how the UK's potentially hazardous radioactive material should be handled.

Avril Coady, the group's secretary, wrote a stern letter back to the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CORWM), which is appointed by the Government.

She stated: 'To issue a group such as ours with six sides of A4 and expect us to come back with an informed response derived from an ill-informed public workshop is a total abdication of responsibility. 'That it should be on a subject as important as the management of radioactive waste is shameful.'

Mrs Coady said consultation with the lay community without the back-up of expert advice was of 'no practical use'.

'In the absence of expert advice, the consultation becomes a box-ticking exercise,' she said. 'The unfairness of the consultation as it stands is that the safety of current and future Mrations should rest partly on the input of uninformed lay people.'

Mrs Coady said the group was also aware that CORWM only gave one point of view and more time was needed to gain other perspectives.

However, she explained the forum had sought guidance from the Environment Agency and attended a local stakeholder group at the nearby Capenhurst nuclear facility to 'fast track' the forum on the issues.

But Mrs Coady added: 'Despite these bestefforts,however, weknowthatour appreciation of the science involved is inadequate to lead to a meaningful discussion in a public meeting and the same must be true for consultee groups throughout the country.'

Adam Scott of CORWM has replied to the forum saying consultation with private citizens is just one aspect of the programme which also involves talking to scientists and other specialists. Mr Scott said: 'Time and cost limit what CORWM can do and a lot of these activities involve relatively small groups of people.'

He added CORWM would still value the group's views given that members had spent a lot of time and effort considering the subject. david.holmes@cheshirenews.co.uk