East Sussex Councillors To Debate Fracking Motion

Wednesday, 23 November 2022 06:00

By Huw Oxburgh

A Fracking strike in Balcombe, Sussex in 2013.

Calls to set out opposition to fracking are set for debate by county councillors in the coming weeks.

The calls come within a joint motion from the council’s Labour and the Green Party groups, which had been submitted at a time when the national moratorium on the controversial gas extraction process had been lifted by the Liz Truss-led government, before being re-imposed in October.

In line with the council’s usual practice, the motion was first considered by the cabinet member whose portfolio covers the topic of debate.

In this case, it was lead member for transport and environment Claire Dowling, who considered it at a meeting on Monday (November 21).

The original motion called on ESCC to “resolve to oppose, as a matter of council policy, any initiatives to develop fracking, or other methods, for the extraction of shale oil or gas in East Sussex.”

Officers had advised Cllr Dowling against this wording, however, saying it could be seen as the council making itself ‘predetermined’ on future planning applications.

As a result, officers had recommended an alternative motion, which reads:

“The county council recognises the significant public concerns over any initiatives to develop fracking, or other methods, for the extraction of shale oil or gas in East Sussex.

“The county council, therefore, supports the government’s recent announcement that reinstates the moratorium on fracking.”

While this alternative wording was accepted by Cllr Dowling, it saw some criticism from Green Party co-leader Georgia Taylor, who had jointly signed the motion with Labour co-leader Chris Collier.

Cllr Taylor said:

“A moratorium is a temporary prohibition of activity which could be lifted at any time, as we’ve seen in the last few months. I think what we need to do as a council is be clear what our policy is in East Sussex.

“It is all very well to welcome a moratorium, but should the moratorium be lifted what exactly would we say. What is our policy?

"I’m very happy that everyone is pleased the moratorium is back in place, but it would be great if we could strengthen the statement a bit so it is more in line with the original motion.”

Speaking to the LDRS after the meeting Cllr Taylor said her group would be looking to strengthen the motion when it came to the full council debate, potentially by reinstating calls for new anti-fracking policies.

This argument did seem to be supported by Labour’s Godfrey Daniel, however, a member of the council’s planning committee who had also been present at the meeting.