Drew Cochrane: I would welcome new nuclear in North Ayrshire

However, imagine my shock to find that leading figures on the group were totally opposed to the Hunterston power stations.

I fully expected the SNP members and supporters to exhibit their party's antipathy and tunnel vision towards nuclear power. But not others, who kept insisting that places like Fairlie were in grave danger from a major industrial site which had operated commendably for decades. They kept talking about how it might explode.

The meetings would also be attended by anti-nuclear activists, including a crazy woman who jumped up, from the public gallery, at every opportunity to denounce EDF, the world renowned nuclear company.

"We're doomed, I tell you. We're doomed."

Now, I am a member of the Free Speech Union and protesters have a right to air their opinions, no matter how ridiculous they may be. However, the unhinged heckler was constantly given free rein to interrupt and prolong proceedings.

When I review my life, I will grimace at the many hours which I will never get back that I lost at those meetings.

Perhaps it was my pre-ordained purgatory on earth.

The SNP leader of the community council was prevailed upon to remove me from the Hunterston committee so that she could take my place. She called me to a coffee chat to claim that only the chairs of the community councils could sit on the group.

"Who told you that?" I asked. "North Ayrshire Council," she lied.

I consulted both NAC and the secretary of the Hunterston committee, who both confirmed this was not true.

When EDF announced the closure of the B station, which occurred in 2022, I was able to make my exit.

So, imagine my bemusement at a headline in this newspaper the other week which read: "SNP: Returning to nuclear would carry terrorism risk."

This was a reflection of a debate at North Ayrshire Council when Conservative councillor Todd Ferguson proposed that they write to the UK government to ask that Hunterston and Ardeer (my old stomping ground) be considered as sites for the new style Small Modular Nuclear Reactors.

Hunterston B before its closure in 2022 (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

At a time when Hunterston station director Joe Struthers has just announced that a third of the jobs will go by 2026, leaving 244 to work on the decommissioning of the old reactors, Councillor Ferguson said he wanted to protect "our excellent nuclear workforce and provide vital employment for generations to come".

Up popped West Kilbride based SNP councillor Eleanor Collier to warn that we faced a possible terrorist attack if we continued with nuclear. They would come and pinch our plutonium.

Albeit that electricity generated through nuclear fission is part of the future of clean, net zero energy globally, Councillor Collier called for "a safe, more acceptable zero carbon alternative renewable energy".

She pointed out that the SNP government stated that nuclear was not wanted or needed, and that it would be more expensive and wasteful. Funnily enough, that is Green Party policy. Methinks, also, there are not many jobs at a wind farm.

Congratulations to the majority of the council who backed the call for the new nuclear reactors by 14 votes to 12.

Meanwhile, it is hoped that the planned £1.4 billion sub-sea cable factory at Hunterston will absorb many redundant nuclear staff among its promised 900 jobs. That would be another fortuitous gift.

Thought for the Week: Why is it that when your spouse says: "We need to talk" it's never about football?

Ah, sweet memory.  I'll never forget how happy I was when I saw Her Indoors walking down the aisle.

My heart was beating fast and, yes, the excitement was almost unbearable.

Looking back, it seemed to take ages, but eventually there she was, standing beside me, my eyes meeting hers.

I remember giving her a cheeky wink and gushing my words: "Get that trolley over here, love. They're doing three cases of Guinness for the price of two!" 

Such bliss.