30 August 2016
Carla, Green Party candidate for Kinson North By-election, explains to the Ukip candidate why fracking is important to residents.
Why is fracking important in the Kinson By-election?
When the brother of the Ukip candidate for Kinson North asked us this question on twitter we felt that such an important question should not go unanswered and deserved more than the 160 characters that a tweet offered.
Below is our response.
It is important that people know
• the land beneath their houses has been licensed for fracking
• that Tory and Ukip manifestos support fracking
• the Greens will keep them informed
• we will support them in protesting against it
One local resident said, ‘Well, the whole country’s licensed, isn’t it?’ Well, actually, no, it’s not, as the map on the DECC shows. Only a few areas have been licensed so far, and Kinson falls inside one of those. The licence holder’s next step will be to ask our local, pro-fracking, Conservative-led Council for planning permission.
Another twitter user posted a picture of the oil rigs at Wytch Farm, Dorset, highlighting the fact that they could not be seen. However, with hydraulic fracking, which is not what they do at Wytch Farm, people are also concerned about what is happening beneath the ground. Fracking is not just pouring water down the wells, it’s sand and undisclosed chemicals too and once water is contaminated it is difficult and expensive to clean up.
In 2011, fracking was suspended in the UK after a number of tremors. In 2016, Lancashire councillors voted to refuse planning permission for Cuadrilla to frack their county.
Scotland, Wales and Germany currently have temporary bans in place. New York State and France have banned it outright. In Ireland, fracking company Infrastrata had to report an oil spill before they had even started drilling.
So, when fracking companies apply for planning permission in Bournemouth, the Green Party will let local people know and our councillors will strongly oppose it. Which is why, Councillor Simon Bull says that a vote for Green candidate Carla Gregory-May on September 1st is so important. “A second Green Councillor will fight to protect our environment. A vote for Ukip or the Tories is a vote for fracking.’
We hope fracking never happens in Kinson or anywhere in the UK because there are far better, cleaner, more efficient ways of getting power than continuing to rely on fossil fuels.
Press Officer
South East Dorset Green Party
Want to know if the Government has licensed your postcode for Fracking? Check here: tinyurl.com/frackinglicense
