Councillors to vote on motion to ban any future use of fracking in Doncaster

Town Ward councillor Dave Shaw (Lab), will present a motion to a meeting of the Full Council on September 19 to reject any shale gas exploration drilling on local authority owned land. 

Fracking is the process of drilling into the ground and injecting liquid at high pressure to force open existing fissures to extract oil or gas.

Currently, there are no plans from energy companies to frack inside the boundaries of Doncaster Council.

But exploration drilling was granted close to the Nottinghamshire village of Misson '“ the site is less than three miles from Finningley and was formerly a Cold War missile launch pad. 

Other sites regionally in Rotherham and Marsh Lane, on the border with Sheffield, have been granted permission for exploration drilling after a Government appeal. 

In a motion published ahead of the meeting, Coun Shaw will express his concern that the Government has made fracking a '˜central plank' of the UK's energy policy. 

Coun Shaw added he '˜regrets' the Government appear to be '˜determined to force fracking on areas, regardless of local opinion'. 

The motion reads: 'That this council regrets the decision of the then Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Davey, to lift the national ban on fracking in 2012.

'Commits to not allow any fracking activities, including survey work, on Council owned or controlled land and property.

'Regrets that the Government now appear to be determined to force fracking on areas, regardless of local opinion.

'And supports the position taken by the Labour Party calling on the Government to ban fracking and focus on unlocking the jobs and growth that a low-carbon energy infrastructure can provide for our industry, workforce and communities.'

The motion carries no legal weight and fracking legislation is decided at national level.