Taxpayers pay £6m to clear illegal waste supersite in Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire County Council confirmed that the full cost of clearing the county’s former landfill site will be funded through general taxation, meaning the expense will be borne by local taxpayers. The council’s waste management department outlined a £12 million budget for the operation, which includes the removal of accumulated waste, remediation of contaminated soil and the restoration of the area for future community use.

The decision follows a series of assessments that identified the dump as a potential health and environmental risk, prompting the council to prioritize its clearance. By allocating the funds from the council’s existing tax base, officials aim to avoid additional levies or charges for residents while ensuring the site is safely decommissioned and prepared for redevelopment.