Council looks set to pass motion to ‘strongly oppose’ fracking

The controversial issue will be debated at the full council meeting at the Parr Hall on Monday, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats putting motions forward.

Labour’s motion, if passed, would see the council ‘strongly oppose’ fracking and associated activities, while it would also ‘communicate its disdain for the practice to the minister and any other bodies responsible’.

It would also see the Labour-run council write to the town’s two MPs calling for them to lobby ministers to ‘abandon and ban the practice of fracking’.

Meanwhile, the motion from the Liberal Democrats, if passed, would see the council do ‘everything possible within its powers and influence’ to oppose fracking everywhere in the borough and in surrounding areas.

The town’s Conservatives, the opposition group on the council, say that with a Tory Government proposing to lift the moratorium on fracking nationally, residents ‘might think’ that this would put Conservative councillors in Warrington ‘in a difficult position’.

However, Tory Cllr Nigel Balding is seeking to ‘reassure’ residents.

He says the Government has made it clear that hydraulic fracking will only go ahead where there is local support, while also stating the overwhelming feedback to Conservative councillors is that residents would not give their consent.

He said: “For some communities local fracking may make sense. There would be financial benefits, and environmentally it is better to use gas produced locally rather than gas shipped half way around the world.

“However, for a population centre like the borough of Warrington, any benefits would be outweighed by the disruption caused so I am happy to join with other councillors in asking WBC to oppose fracking in our area.

“Having spoken with many residents locally, I’m confident that when energy companies ask Warrington for their support to drill for gas here, they will be politely asked to frack somewhere else.”