COUNCILLORS could be forced to review a decision to sign a multi-million pound contract for a waste Incinerator.

Last week, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet approved a recommendation to agree to sign a 25-year contract with waste firm Viridor to build and run the Incinerator at Ardley, near Bicester.

But 10 councillors have called in the decision on the grounds that “the contract is not in the best interests of the people of Oxfordshire”.

A scrutiny committee will decide on Monday whether to tell the Conservative-run cabinet to reconsider its decision.

The move has been welcomed by campaign group Ardley Against the Incinerator. Its chairman, Jonathan O’Neill, said: “It’s another step in the right direction.

“It just shows Keith Mitchell and his cabinet that there is a swell of councillors who are against it, and if he won’t listen to residents, maybe he will listen to fellow councillors.”

Councillors who signed the call-in included Liberal Democrat, Labour, Green and Conservative members.

Oxford councillor John Tanner, who instigated the call-in, said: “The chances of them changing their minds are small, because the chairman and the majority of the committee are Conservatives, and it’s likely they will follow the party whip.

“We will make our case as strongly as we can that it’s not in the interest of the people of Oxfordshire for the council to sign a costly contract with Viridor.

“I think Viridor have seen the county council coming and are taking the Tories for a ride.”

The council declined to comment.