OUR district council has badly let Ryedale down in not following Scotland, Wales, York, Manchester, Newcastle and others (including Malton and Kirkbymoorside) and passing a robust anti-fracking motion.

At last Tuesday’s Ryedale District Council meeting (February 17), we had three hours of politicking and, in some cases, disappointingly uninformed debate.

Councillor Jim Bailey (chairman of National Parks England and the North York Moors National Park Authority) did not know that the Government had gone back on its promises to Parliament to protect the National Park which he administers.

Our MP, who does not run a national park, had noticed “… the commitments the Government made seem to have been reversed”. The Council for Protection of Rural England had spotted it: “This calls into question the Government’s commitment to so-called world class fracking regulation.”

Councillor Linda Cowling, resolute in ensuring that final motion would be meaningless, was adamant that she was not going to share her views on fracking with the electorate in case it made her popular. Odd from a politician, but certainly original.

“Fingers crossed and trust Westminster”, will not save us from damage to tourism from fracking. “We’re scared the gas companies might sue us” is not a rallying cry to protect our countryside from fracking noise pollution. “We’ll do it if the Government say the benefits outweigh the risks” will not protect us from the health risks associated with fracking.

To paraphrase a famous saying, the only thing necessary for the triumph of fracking in Ryedale is for our politicians to sit on their hands and meekly do nothing.

We will not vote for politicians who condone fracking.

Steven White, Great Edstone

 

• STEVE KIRBY (letters, Gazette & Herald) used some interesting analogies last week in his attempt to convince us how trustworthy the fracking industry will be in the UK, after their gung-ho devastation of vast desolate swathes of the US and Australia while world oil prices were high.

The health and environmental results of this devastation are starting to be proven by peer reviewed, independent studies, which is why so many states are now banning fracking, just as “we” plan to start. And last time I looked, Ryedale was neither vast, desolate or largely uninhabited.

Industry guidelines on web pages clearly define our regulations and marvellous standards do they? In addition to previous budget cuts, imminent 30 per cent cuts are forecast for all the Government agencies tasked with upholding and enforcing these standards, leaving them with about 45 per cent of their funding and manpower as compared to 2010.

It will certainly be interesting to observe the reality (rather than claims on web pages) of them being able to fulfil their roles. How much will they pay to lure the necessary expertise away from the industry? Just a thought though; If the EA et al are able to do the job effectively, what money and manpower will be left for flood defence in our high flood risk district?

The reality is that the industry will be almost totally self-regulating (as it was in the US).Mr Kirby suggests that your car would always pass its MOT because you pay for it. In fact, there’s even more chance it’ll pass if you self-regulate the MOT test yourself. The problem comes when a catastrophic failure causes you to crash. Not quite such a problem if your car passes its MOT with flying colours, so you quickly sell it to the highest bidder. Would that pass the “duty of care” now enshrined in law, or be strictly legal?

Mr Kirby then moves on to the aircraft industry, where a failure can be catastrophic if high standards are not maintained. Indeed, most major aircraft failures are catastrophic and result in multiple fatalities of everyone onboard and worldwide publicity – not too good when there are only a few manufacturers. Not quite the same as stuff hidden away underground, behind security fences and with isolated but increasingly serious health issues and deaths.

It’s not hard to prove someone died from being in an air crash, but it’s rather harder – and takes time - to prove death or ill health from water or air contamination without sound independent baseline data for comparison.

Shoddy low standards come cheap and easy, while top quality engineering and safety standards come at a high price. How lovely to hear the industry will willingly pay that price now world oil prices have massively reduced profitability. I’m suitably reassured that Barclay’s and other investors won’t just have maximising their return in mind ISEBY (In someone else’s back yard).

Last week, Councillor Linda Cowling and the other largely silent and unquestioning Ryedale District Council’s Tory councillors said there was insufficient information and decisions couldn’t be made on emotions. Perhaps they have a responsibility to make some effort to inform themselves of the many facts that are freely available, rather than blindly voting in line with orders from head office.

Personally, 18 months of unemotional research tells me the risks are sufficiently high (and proven) that I want to hear the reality, not politician’s rhetoric and marvellous promises on web pages.

Mike Potter, chairman Pickering and District Civic Society