Call for clarity on local consent for fracking
Lancashire county councillors also want decisions to be made locally
Lancashire County councillors are calling on the government to make it clear how local people will give consent for fracking.
At a meeting of the full council yesterday (12 October), members approved a motion to write to the government to seek that clarity.
Ministers have said fracking will only be allowed in places where there is local community support, but there's no detail yet on how 'local consent' will be measured.
The government is also being asked to allow fracking decisions to be taken by local councils.
County Councillor Aidy Riggott, cabinet member for economic development and growth, said:
"When the moratorium on fracking was introduced in 2019 it was welcomed by Lancashire people because local residents had seen years of disruption to their lives, and there was considerable cost to the public purse to manage the protests.
"The new prime minister has lifted the moratorium but has given a clear commitment that fracking will only happen in areas where there is local community support. We welcome this, as it is right that local people should have the final say about whether fracking happens in their area or not. We now need clarity on what local consent means in practice which is why we're writing to the government to ask them.
"As the body responsible for planning applications for fracking, we need this information so that we can update our policies on how any proposals that come forward will be assessed. We also believe that any planning decisions on fracking should lie with the county council as local representatives are best-placed to understand the needs and wishes of their local communities."
Anti-fracking protesters gathered outside the meeting yesterday to make their feelings on the subject very clear.
The council says it will play it down the middle when it comes to saying whether it's right or wrong that the moratorium has been lifted, so any possible applications are considered in an unbiased way and avoids 'predetermination', which can leave decisions open to legal challenge.