WORCESTER’S MP has come out in support of a £120 million incinerator for the first time – saying there is “a coherent argument” for it going ahead.

Robin Walker has also revealed he is willing to bring up the issue of landfill taxes with the Government, if Worcestershire County Council make an approach to him.

As your Worcester News reported yesterday, nearly £10 million was paid out in the tax last year, compared to £4.7m in 2006, despite rubbish burials drastically falling.

County Hall said Government moves to increase landfill taxes by £8 per tonne every year since 2008 is beginning to seriously damage budgets. Mr Walker said: “I think it’s right we have a tax for landfill and I think we all support the principle of it, which is to encourage more recycling.

“But what we don’t want to do is overburden councils, and if there is a case to make to ministers I’m happy to talk to them about it. I am prepared to look at it because it could be a question of proportionality.”

The county council has said the figures are “even more of a reason” to convince people of the need for a new incinerator at Hartlebury.

The incinerator, which is still subject to council chiefs agreeing on the finances, would burn rubbish instead of seeing it go to landfill.

It has been opposed by nearby residents and the Worcester Green Party on environmental and cost grounds, but has the support of County Hall.

It would have a capacity of 200,000 tonnes and be operated by West Mercia Management on a 25-year Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

Mr Walker added: “I don’t disagree with the view the taxes are an incentive to move away from landfill.

“There is a coherent argument for going ahead with the incinerator.”

The incinerator could still be three years away from opening up, and in the meantime, the council is calling for the landfill tax to be frozen to avoid the bill increasing further.

At the moment the Government is set to increase it to £72 per tonne next month, and £80 in April 2014.

Despite the tax increasing 108 per cent since 2006, the amount of rubbish buried in the ground across Worcestershire and Herefordshire fell 33 per cent to 174,749 tonnes in the same period, a fall of a third.

Mid-Worcestershire Peter Luff said: “I support the principle of having a landfill tax, but I’m very happy to look at the council’s concerns carefully.”