Mendip Liberal Democrats say they are delighted that, at Mendip’s Full Council meeting last month, a motion was unanimously passed regarding fracking.
The motion, to raise concerns about fracking with the Department for Energy & Climate Change, sets out the concerns of the council and seeks to provide safeguards to the district. A joint motion between the Lib Dems and the Conservatives was agreed at the last minute after both groups submitted motions to the council on fracking.
After some speeches from members of the public and presentations from officers of Mendip, Somerset and Bath & North East Somerset, councillors asked questions regarding caves, old coalfields and mining operations and possible implications should fracking be permitted. The vote was then held and the motion was adopted unanimously.
The Mendip Liberal Democrats say this is the end of a period of hard work for cllr Adam Boyden (Frome College), who had written the original Lib Dem motion and successfully negotiated a joint motion with the Conservative group. Cllr Boyden consulted concerned local people, geologists, and in particular representatives from Frack Free Somerset and Gas Field Free Mendip. The groups adds that there was the largest public participation at a Mendip council meeting for a long time and everyone present was delighted with the joint motion.
Cllr Adam Boyden said, “I am so pleased we all agreed that Mendip should lobby the government to seek to prevent fracking in Mendip and to demand detailed assessments of environmental risks and impacts when considering it, particularly when we heard of the real risks to our water supply, to the hot springs at Bath and to the complex geology that is unique to Mendip.”
Wells MP Tessa Munt said, “I am delighted that Mendip District Council, with a motion initiated by the Lib Dem Group but with cross-party support, resolved to raise its concerns about ‘fracking’ with the Department for Energy & Climate Change. I think we are all unified in our desire to protect the beautiful Mendip countryside and our vital water supplies. There are many other ways to supply the energy we need using renewable sources. We do not need ‘fracking’ here!”
For more information please contact cllr Adam Boyden on 07809 284817 or on aomboyden @yahoo.co.uk.
