THE Javelin Park incinerator saga may have dragged on for what seems like an eternity, but with only a week to go until Eric Pickles decides the project’s fate one thing is clear – the opposition is as strong as ever and shows no signs of abating.

In addition to reporting comments from Stroud’s former mayor, who believes the decision could be postponed until after May 2015 to avoid damaging the election chances of some local Tory MPs, this week we also feature an incinerator-related article from Nympsfield.

Rather topically residents in the village have been casting their votes in an historic referendum.

Whereas the Scots will go to the polls next week in order to determine whether their country seeks independence from the UK, residents in Nympsfield have been voting on the question of whether to declare their independence from big polluters in the form of fracking and incineration companies.

The novel initiative has been spearheaded by local resident and environmental campaigner Jojo Mehta, who has been going door to door with her survey asking villagers for their views about the shale-gas extraction and waste burning technologies.

Unsurprisingly, the people of Nympsfield have elected to join with the great number of opponents and dozen or so local authorities who are against the Javelin Park plan, by delivering an emphatic NO to incineration.

Mr Pickles – and possibly Scotland – take note.