The decision to reverse the ban on fracking is to be debated by Bolton Council with the local authority being urged to uphold its policy of refusing any plans to drill on land it controls. Bolton Liberal Democrats reacted angrily to the Government’s announcement that fracking can now go ahead in England.
The decision lifted a ban on the controversial process put in place in 2019 following concerns over earth tremors. Bolton’s Liberal Democrat group said that the Conservatives had broken their election pledge and will now allow fracking to restart in England without any scientific evidence that it is safe.
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Their leader, Coun Roger Hayes, said there was great public concern that fracking can cause earth tremors, contamination of ground water, air pollution and have impacts on human health. He said that a DEFRA report in 2014 forecast that house prices were likely to fall by 7 per cent within a mile of fracking wells and that there would also be an increase in house insurance within five miles of the wells.
Coun Hayes pointed out that all of Bolton is covered by areas of search allocated to fracking companies.
He said: “In 2015 the local Liberal Democrats presented a 2,500 name petition and persuaded the council to refuse any applications to drill on land it controls. We will be bringing a motion to the next council meeting to reinforce that position and also to urge the Government to reverse its decision.
“We need incentives to use renewable sources of power and to start a programme to make sure homes are properly insulated.”
The motion will be debated at council on October 12.
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