COUNCILLORS have agreed to spend nearly £10,000 of the £1million fund set up by EDF Energy to boost community development in the wake of the completion of a £237million power station on the outskirts of a Fenland town. South Holland District Council annou

COUNCILLORS have agreed to spend nearly £10,000 of the £1million fund set up by EDF Energy to boost community development in the wake of the completion of a £237million power station on the outskirts of a Fenland town.

South Holland District Council announced it is to spend £9,400 to help a feasibility study by the Nene Marine Group, Sutton Bridge Moorings and Town Quay project to provide a pontoon mooring and refuelling facility for boats on the River Nene.

Fenland District Council, which manages a similar mooring marina at Wisbech, is backing the project which could produce "associated efficiencies". It is expected that the Port of Wisbech Authority would manage the Sutton Bridge mooring.

South Holland's decision to spend the money follows a refusal by Lincolnshire County Council to stump up the cash, claiming the "small moorings project at Sutton Bridge was low priority compared to other existing Fens Waterways projects."

A report by South Holland says the money can come from the Sutton Bridge Power Station Section 106 fund, the money given for community use by EDF Energy when the power station opened.

As of December 31, the fund stood at £1,044,179, and councillors heard that using the £9,400 was "within the definition of the uses of the fund".

Under the agreement the council can only use the money to help or encourage development with the Sutton Bridge area, or within a five kilometre radius of the power station.

The power station, pictured, was completed in 1999.