A council leader says he will support a public inquiry into contaminated land in a town, following a report published last week that revealed it could pose a risk to human health.

The charity Earthwatch Europe says trained citizen scientists have found potentially harmful levels of metal or metalloid at 52 freshwater sites across Corby.

Children in Corby have been born with birth defects, believed to have been caused when steelworks were demolished in the 1980s.

As first reported in the NN Journal, Martin Griffiths, Reform-UK Leader of North Northamptonshire Council said: “We have nothing to hide.”

He added: “We would welcome a genuinely independent examination of the historic events and the questions that remain unanswered, and we would cooperate fully with any inquiry established by the government.”

Griffiths challenged the Labour MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, Lee Barron, to take his longstanding calls for a public inquiry directly to the Labour government.

“If Lee Barron and his Government believe a public inquiry is necessary, we are ready to support his efforts to secure one,” added Griffiths.

In response, Lee Barron said it was “baffling” the council would ask for a public inquiry.

He said the authority needed to immediately publish a plan to investigate and clean up any contaminated land.

Barron said: “It is important that North Northamptonshire Council investigate the [Earthwatch] report.

“People deserve answers and it is the role of the council to provide them.”

Earlier this week, Barron wrote to both the leader of North Northamptonshire Council and the Health Secretary Yvette Cooper.

In his letters, seen by the BBC, he said the findings from the environmental charity “need to be investigated as a matter of urgency”.

He has also called on the health secretary to “ensure North Northamptonshire Council take immediate action to clean up any contaminated land”.

Earlier this year, a number of families gathered outside North Northamptonshire’s Corby headquarters calling for a public inquiry to clarify the situation.

Des Collins, the solicitor who represented families affected by the town’s toxic waste scandal, said: “We welcome the leader’s announcement, which finally admits what we have been telling his council for the past year – our clients need, and deserve, a public inquiry as it is the only feasible way of getting to the truth behind the disposal of toxic waste around Corby.

“We look forward to Lee Barron MP and North Northamptonshire Council working together to encourage the Cabinet Office to authorise the Inquiry without further delay.

“Quite literally, local lives depend on it.”

The government has been approached for comment.

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