A council boss has called for the developers of a nuclear power station which will store radioactive waste on-site to 'do the decent thing' and financially compensate the community.

If the Hinkley C power station is given planning permission, developers EDF Energy will store nuclear waste on the site near Bridgwater in Somerset.

Delays in Government legislation for nuclear developments were announced yesterday, but if the French company's bid to build a twin reactor replacement wins approval, radioactive waste may be kept in Somerset for more than 100 years.

There have been nuclear power stations at Hinkley since 1959, and Kerry Rickards, chief executive of Sedgemoor district council, says EDF Energy should properly compensate the local community.

While EDF has proposed a package of "mitigation" measures worth around £4 million, Mr Rickards said: "My view is that if you are going to have radioactive waste stored here our communities may put up with that if they were properly compensated for becoming a willing host community."

"EDF are a major and credible player in the energy business but as yet the "offer" to the host communities of West Somerset and Sedgemoor is way off the mark. It is woeful."

The package includes a one-off community payment into a community fund of £1 million, with most of the rest of the £4m accounted for by payments to the police, education authority and health sector to help cover the extra costs that thousands of extra workers will bring.

Construction work will last five years and see an estimated 5,000 extra workers billeted in specially-built temporary accommodation as well as local B&Bs. Although a bypass will be built around the village of Cannington many locals say the extra traffic on the A39 and other roads is bound to be disruptive. The sheer numbers of extra workers will also have an impact.

No one from EDF Energy was available to comment.