Devon County Council and Fracking (Minute 159 of 6 December 2018)
To receive and consider the recommendations of the Cabinet (Minute 290(a)) as an amendment to the following Notice of Motion submitted previously to the Council by Councillor Hodgson and referred thereto in accordance with Standing Order 8(2), namely;
I am aware that South Devon has little if any shale reserves that could attract potential fracking exploration or would be economically viable to extract. However, as part of a national support to prevent controversial planning matters being able to avoid public consultation and protest and also to support a permanent ban on fracking in the UK, I am also requesting this motion regarding permitted development rights which has now been allowed for Fracking planning applications. This means that applications can by-pass the usual pubic consultation and objection processes and publicly represented decision making bodies such as council planning committees. France, Ireland, Bulgaria, Germany, Victoria, in NSW Australia, four provinces in Canada New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Quebec have all banned fracking and Germany has placed an indefinite moratorium, Netherlands has placed a temporary moratorium on fracking. This also supports this Council’s agreement in principle to support initiatives that will prevent or mitigate climate change.
1. Will write to the Secretary of State to object to applications for fracking having permitted development rights such that applicants can avoid the usual planning system.
2. Supports a national ban on fracking in the UK on public safety and climate change grounds.
Having had regard to the aforementioned, any factual briefing/position statement on the matter set out in Report (CSO/19/2) and other suggestions or alternatives considered at that meeting the Cabinet subsequently resolved that the Committee on Climate Change will advise government on a revised ‘net-zero’ carbon emissions target. Government will then need to consider the contribution that shale gas can make to meeting that target. It is therefore recommended that as there is no government consultation on extending permitted development rights for ‘fracking’ it is not necessary to write to the Secretary of State on this matter.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Pursuant to County Council Minute 159 of 6 December 2018 relating to the Notice of Motion set out below as previously submitted and formally moved and seconded by Councillor Hodgson that:
I am aware that South Devon has little if any shale reserves that could attract potential fracking exploration or would be economically viable to extract. However, as part of a national support to prevent controversial planning matters being able to avoid public consultation and protest and also to support a permanent ban on fracking in the UK, I am also requesting this motion regarding permitted development rights which has now been allowed for Fracking planning applications. This means that applications can by-pass the usual pubic consultation and objection processes and publicly represented decision making bodies such as council planning committees. France, Ireland, Bulgaria, Germany, Victoria, in NSW Australia, four provinces in Canada New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Quebec have all banned fracking and Germany has placed an indefinite moratorium, Netherlands has placed a temporary moratorium on fracking. This also supports this Council’s agreement in principle to support initiatives that will prevent or mitigate climate change.
1. Will write to the Secretary of State to object to applications for fracking having permitted development rights such that applicants can avoid the usual planning system.
2. Supports a national ban on fracking in the UK on public safety and climate change grounds.
and having had regard to the advice of the Cabinet set out in Minute 290(a) of 9 January 2019:
Councillor Hart MOVED and Councillor McInnes SECONDED that the Cabinet’s advice be accepted, that the Committee on Climate Change will advise Government on a revised ‘net-zero’ carbon emissions target. Government will then need to consider the contribution that shale gas can make to meeting that target. It is therefore recommended that as there is no Government consultation on extending permitted development rights for ‘fracking’, it is not necessary to write to the Secretary of State on this matter and no further action be taken on the Notice of Motion.
The amendment in the name of Councillor Hart was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED and subsequently thereafter also CARRIED as the substantive motion.