Many of you may have seen Dr Mick Salt's graphic - but for those of you who have not, I am sharing it here.
Like you, I am angry and disappointed by the premature lifting of the suspension notice announced earlier this week.
Having been assured by the EA that the required works would take around 4 weeks "if they do it properly" - I am more than surprised that the operator has apparently completed these in less than a fortnight. My understanding is that they have worked at extreme pace to get the site reopened (no doubt losing income focused their efforts) - but the only proof of their efforts will be if they succeed in reducing the Stink, which remains to be seen.
Despite this disappointment however, do not underestimate our recent progress. A closure notice is now a real possibility for the first time.
Legally, the Environment Agency have to demonstrate that they have exhausted all other regulatory options before issuing a closure notice. The option of a suspension notice has now been used, leaving no other tools left in the EA's arsenal. This is good news.
Further breaches of waste acceptance or site management should now lead to a closure notice - in the EA's words, they have exhausted all their other options. In other words: a closure notice has never been closer.
Keep the faith, and I will keep working hard for you. For as long as I am your MP I will be fighting to get the site shut down and capped off.