Agenda item - To consider a petition received from Frack Free Chorley and South Ribble in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 23
Agenda item
To consider a petition received from Frack Free Chorley and South Ribble in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 23
The Frack Free Chorley and South Ribble organisation has submitted a petition, containing over 2600 signatures. It is estimated that approximately 1460 signatures are from residents of the borough of Chorley, the rest are from neighbouring areas and also from an online petition which has attracted signatures from a wider area – including internationally. The petition was collected in the 8 week period prior to 24 November 2015 when it was handed over to the Leader of the Council.
Council Procedure Rule 23 states that any petition containing over 1500 signatures, triggers a Council debate. The wording contained within the petition is as follows:
“No to Fracking applications in Chorley and surrounding villages.
We, the undersigned, are opposed to any applications of shale gas extraction or drilling (fracking) in the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire.
We call on Chorley Council to:
A. Refuse to allow any applications for exploratory drilling or fracking on land it owns or controls.
B. As a planning authority, to ensure that any applications to carry out fracking operations in the Borough are subjected to vigorous scrutiny with regard to the possible effect on landscape, water and air quality.
C. To strongly oppose Government attempts to override local decision making of fracking applications.”
Members are asked to consider the petition.
Minutes:
The Mayor referred to the submission of a petition by Frack Free Chorley and South Ribble which had been presented to Councillor Alistair Bradley, Executive Leader in November 2015 with over 2600 signatures, of which 1460 were estimated to be from Borough residents and the rest from neighbouring areas and also from an online petition which had attracted signatures from a wider area including internationally.
The petition was regarding onshore shale gas extraction and drilling and as it exceeded 1500 signatures, it was before Members of the Council for debate under Procedure Rule 23. The lead petitioner at the meeting, handed over further signatures, bringing the total to over 2800.
The wording of the petition was as follows:
“No to Fracking applications in Chorley and surrounding villages.
We, the undersigned, are opposed to any applications of shale gas extraction or drilling (fracking) in the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire.
We call on Chorley Council to:
A. Refuse to allow any applications for exploratory drilling or fracking on land it owns or controls.
B. As a planning authority, to ensure that any applications to carry out fracking operations in the Borough are subjected to vigorous scrutiny with regard to the possible effect on landscape, water and air quality.
C. To strongly oppose Government attempts to override local decision making of fracking applications.”
Councillor Alistair Bradley, Executive Leader led the debate and referred to the Government’s issue of further exploration licences for onshore shale gas extraction and drilling (fracking) in 2015 in the Chorley borough area and the recent planning applications by Cuadrilla for fracking in Little Plumpton and Roseacre Woods which, having been refused by Lancashire County Council as the relevant planning authority, had been appealed and would be determined by the Government later this year.
These issues had been in the news frequently and it was therefore not surprising that residents had concerns, reflected in the scale of the petition received. It was appropriate that Councillors should now be debating fracking in Chorley and whether or not it would be welcomed in the borough.
In preparation for this debate, to ensure Councillors in Chorley were armed with sufficient knowledge, the Leader had arranged in early January for them to receive a number of presentations. This included one from representatives of Cuadrilla giving the industry perspective; from Lancashire County Council as the relevant planning authority; and from the Environment Agency and Health and Safety Executive for the regulatory and monitoring aspects of fracking. Members had also received a presentation from representatives of Frack Free Chorley and South Ribble to hear their views.
As a District Council, Chorley would not be the decision maker on any planning application for onshore shale gas extraction and drilling but the Council would be a key consultee. It was important that the Council considered any such applications on its merits and that it was not seen to predetermine any application, in advance of its receipt. The petitioners and all residents of Chorley however, could be assured that the Council would subject any such applications to extremely rigorous scrutiny. They would seek to protect the prosperity, health and wellbeing of the borough.
Councillor Alistair Bradley then asked the Mayor to invite those members of the public who had registered to speak at the meeting, to ask their questions.