Three town councils in Northamptonshire have thrown their support behind a proposed law aimed at increasing transparency over contaminated land, just months after North Northamptonshire Council rejected the measure.
Kettering, Corby and Wellingborough town councils have each passed motions supporting the principles of Zane’s Law, named after Zane Gbangbola, who died during the 2014 floods in Surrey.
Zane was just seven years old at the time. Flood waters had passed through a toxic landfill site and delivered Hydrogen Cyanide into the house. The entire family was hospitalised. Zane died and his father, Kye Gbangbola, was paralysed from the waist down.
The proposed legislation—also known as the Clean Land (Human Rights) Bill—would require councils to maintain publicly accessible registers of potentially contaminated land, establish a national register through the Environment Agency, mandate proper inspections of historic landfill sites, and ensure councils receive government funding to carry out these responsibilities, with costs recovered from polluters where possible.
The pushback came in March, when Brian Benneyworth, a Reform UK councillor with responsibility for health on the Reform-led North Northamptonshire Council, urged fellow members to reject the motion. ‘My objection is not to the sentiment, it’s to the lack of realism,’ he said. ‘Let’s not endorse this legislation, whose scale, costs and implications are unclear and, potentially, not manageable.’
Despite that setback, the campaign has gained momentum locally. Cllr Paul Mannion of Wellingborough Town Council announced his council’s support, writing: ‘I’m pleased to report that Wellingborough Town Council passed my motion last night in support of Zane’s Law. This adds our voice to the growing campaign for stronger protections against contaminated land and historic landfill sites.’
Mannion noted the issue carries particular weight in Northamptonshire, referencing the Corby toxic waste scandal. He thanked Cllr Chris Ashton for co-sponsoring the motion and colleagues across the Conservative, Labour, and Wellingborough Community Alliance groups for their backing, as well as Zane’s parents for their continued campaigning.
The campaign has already received cross-party support in Westminster and backing from the mayors of London, Greater Manchester, and Liverpool, along with major trade unions and numerous councils nationwide. Supporters hope the growing local momentum will pressure North Northamptonshire Council to reconsider its position.
For a lot more background on Corby’s toxic waste scandal, read Emily Whitehouse’s interview with Des Collins, the lawyer who led the battle to find Corby Council negligent in transporting toxic waste through the town in open lorries. A finding that delivered long-awaited justice to the families affected.
Emily also spoke to Zane’s father about his working campaigning for legislation to prevent such incidents happening in the future.
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