Councillors have backed the decision to sign a multi-million-pound contract to build a waste incinerator in the north of the county.

Last month, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet agreed to sign a 25-year contract with waste firm Viridor to build and run an incinerator at Ardley.

Cross-party county councillors ‘called in’ the decision to the growth and infrastructure scrutiny committee — but it decided on Monday that it was satisfied with the way the cabinet had taken the decision.

People opposed to the planned incinerator, pictured, had urged the county council to wait until a decision over planning permission was made before agreeing to sign the contract.

The county council defended its position and said signing contracts before planning approval was common and ensured prices did not change.

The contract that the council has agreed to sign would make it liable to pay £6m compensation to Viridor if the firm does not get planning permission.

Last year, the council chose Viridor as its preferred bidder to build and run an incinerator for the county.

But its own planning committee later rejected the planning application.

Viridor appealed, forcing an ongoing inquiry, and also submitted an amended planning application.

Committee chairman David Nimmo-Smith told the meeting its role was to look at the procurement process — whether the cabinet had the required information and made a decision based on it — and that environmental, transport, technological or location factors were not a consideration.