Agenda item

Councillor G J Hood introduced the report from the Scrutiny (Community & Regeneration) Committee in respect of the following motion originally moved by Councillor M R Eddy at the meeting of the Council held on 18 September 2013:

"This Council is concerned by the prospect of fracking and related drilling activity in the Dover District area and requests that a report is brought forward to the next meeting of this Council to inform the Council of the nature of the process, the potential impact on subsurface water resources and geological formations, the type and scale of the surface structures, and the impact of anti-fracking demonstrations in the light of recent experience in Sussex on the local communities and on the police."

It was moved by Councillor G J Hood, duly seconded and

RESOLVED: (a)   That the following primary concerns of the Scrutiny (Community and Regeneration) Committee in the absence of sufficient independent peer reviewed data to reassure it be noted:

(i)            That the long term consequences of any pollution of the groundwater supply in the district due to chemicals used as part of the fracking process itself or contamination via improper management, storage and disposal of contaminated ‘flowback’ water were unclear.

(ii)           The impact of the high volume of water consumption involved in the hydraulic fracturing process on groundwater resources given that the Dover District was an identified area of water stress.

(iii)          The risk of seismicity arising from the hydraulic fracturing process given the particular characteristics of the local geology and the close proximity of population centres to the areas identified to date as potential drilling sites.

(b) That the secondary concerns of the Scrutiny (Community and Regeneration) committee over the impact of noise, air pollution, light pollution and traffic on rural roads which it anticipated would be dealt with by the appropriate statutory bodies as part of the Kent County Council planning process in the event of any future applications, be noted.

(c) That the Council be mindful of (a) and (b) above in its response to any future planning application considered by Kent County Council involving hydraulic fracturing and/or associated drilling activity until such time as sufficient independent peer reviewed data exists to mitigate the concerns expressed by the Committee.

(Councillor R J Frost asked that his individual vote against the question to be recorded in accordance with council procedure rule 18.5)

(Councillor P M Brivio declared an Other Significant Interest in this matter by reason of her membership of Kent County Council’s Planning Committee and withdrew from the meeting for the consideration of this item.)

(Councillor S C Manion declared an Other Significant Interest in this matter by reason of his membership of Kent County Council’s Planning Committee and withdrew from the meeting for the consideration of this item.)