25/09/2025
Thank you Councillor(s)
Link text pasted:
“Notice of Motion - Chorley Council
In 2016 Chorley Council passed a Notice of Motion opposing government plans to issue
licences for shale gas extraction or Fracking' in Chorley Borough.
The areas highlighted for potential drilling focussed on the beautiful West Pennine
Moors (including Healey Nab & Rivington) covering areas to the East of Chorley and
which Chorley Council has previously supported as a designated SSSI (Site of Special
Scientific Interest)
Also, the high-grade agricultural land and picturesque villages in the western parishes
of Chorley including Euxton, Eccleston, Croston, Mawdesley and other smaller
settlements.
Lancashire as a whole considered extensive evidence at that time that detailed that
extracting shale gas in the UK is expensive, environmentally damaging, and carries
significant geological risks. Concerns about fracking include water contamination,
greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, noise, heavy road traffic, land use, and the risk
of induced earth tremors as experienced on the Fylde coast.
The promised benefits of fracking were at that time also queried and a previous Energy
Secretary Sir Ed Davey confirmed that Fracking would have absolutely "no effect" in
reducing household bills.
On a recent visit to Lancashire Richard Tice MP (Deputy leader of Reform UK, pledged to
overturn the national ban on fracking and used the unfortunate phrase "Frack Baby
Frack,". This caused deep concern among Lancashire residents including many here in
Chorley, particularly as Lancashire County Council which is the relevant planning
authority for mineral and gas extraction is now controlled by Reform UK.
To help reassure residents of our commitment to protect our beautiful countryside,
villages, valuable farmland and the environment of Chorley
This Council resolves:
i. To acknowledge that many Chorley residents strongly oppose shale gas and oil
extraction in Chorley due to the problems inherent with it.
ii. To note the current moratorium on fracking and seek for that position to be
continued and endorsed by LCC as the relevant local planning authority
iii. To ask the Council Leader to write to the Leader of Lancashire County Council
requesting LCC's written pledge for continued support for the current moratorium
against Fracking and that they publicly renounce and refute the views of his
parties deputy leader and others in Reform UK who share his views.
Proposed by Cllr Alistair Bradley Seconded by Cllr Peter Wilson”
Following comments by Reform Deputy Leader Richard Tice to “Frack Baby Frack” on a recent visit to Lancashire, all Chorley councillors present voted unanimously to oppose the re-starting of Fracking in Chorley Borough and called for Reform controlled Lancs County Council to publicly speak out against their leadership.
I spoke at the Full Council Meeting to stand up for my residents. The proposed fracking site would cover the West Pennine Moors - a huge concern for everyone in Chorley North East. I raised the risks around gas contaminating our water, the massive amount of water fracking needs (which could hit our local supply), and the fact that our rural roads and infrastructure simply couldn’t cope with the heavy traffic fracking would bring, both during and after.
Our community deserves to be heard on this issue, and I’ll keep making sure your voices are at the heart of these discussions.
https://democracy.chorley.gov.uk/documents/s189260/Notice%20of%20Motion.pdf
Thanks,
Cllr Jenny Whiffen 🌹
with Cllr Margaret France, County Councillor Kim Snape & Cllr Gordon France
