The York City council have not been afraid to critique the governments plans for fracking.

Councillor Lars Kramm of Micklegate has described the governments plans for harvesting shale gas as “fast track fracking”.

Cllr Paul Doughty of Clifton has also previously stated that “applying permitted development rights to large-scale processes such as fracking is just wrong”.

In the York City Council meeting on the 25th of October, fracking was one of the most discussed issues of the meeting with Councillor Ian Cuthbertson of Haxby & Wiggington presenting the issue.

The overarching issue that the council discussed was that fracking contributes to the threat of climate change. 

Cuthbertson believes that “climate change poses a real threat to the future and environment of York and more widely, the UK”.

The meeting also acknowledged that public opinion appears to be against the idea of fracking. 

Over a thousand York residents have added their names to the ‘Ban Fracking Now’ petition.

Furthermore, the Public Attitudes Tracker Survey also showed that only a meager 19 percent of the British public support the idea of Fracking within the UK. 

On the other hand, a majority of 81 percent of UK residents are in favour of the idea of renewable energy.

The York Conservative group have previously responded to the Government’s consultation on fracking, saying the proposals are “wholly inappropriate” and have the potential to “irreparably damage residents’ confidence in the fairness of our planning system”.

It was also argued at the meeting that if widespread fracking is allowed to take place across York and North Yorkshire, it will be the cause of irreversible industrialisation of rural areas which currently provide sustainable jobs in key local industries such as tourism and agriculture.

It was stated that the policy of the Conservative Government to allow fracking as a permitted development will bypass local decision making, undermining the council, and will also accelerate fracking in the region.

An idea for a 500m buffer zone has been presented. Cuthbertson’s notes state that if this is achieved “this will help to protect residents and the local environment from fracking development”.

Cuthbertson’s notes also state that “the UK has a vast potential for clean energy. Investment in renewable energy, public transport and energy efficiency will create far more jobs than fracking”. This is followed by the claim that renewable energy will also “boost York’s local economy and allow (the city) to play (it’s) part in avoiding dangerous climate change”.

In conclusion, the council resolved that they would lobby against the Conservative Governments fracking proposals and that the council will also contact the Secretary of State for BEIS, Julian Sturdy MP and Rachael Maskell MP “to outline the councils objections to permitted development and fracking”.

The council will also ask the government to reconsider their proposals.