East Yorkshire Conservative council votes for fracking ban

Plans for fracking in the county have attracted protests in the past

A Conservative-led council has voted to oppose fracking in its area.

East Riding of Yorkshire members supported a motion tabled by the Liberal Democrat opposition.

The vote comes after Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg recently announced the lifting of the 2019 ban in order to boost domestic gas production in the wake of the war in Ukraine.

Tory leader of the council Jonathan Owen said he thought it was not "the right route".

Mr Owen told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that fracking was "still unproven as a means of production".

"Original arguments against fracking still hold in my mind and I have heard nothing to change my views," he said.

"Of particular concern is the effect on the aquifer under the Wolds and the counter-effect on our ambitions to have an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty."

Conservative leader of the council Jonathan Owen said he thought fracking was not "the right route"

Conservative East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight has also voiced his concerns in Parliament.

Sir Greg said doubts remained over the effects of the fracking process, including releasing methane gas and polluting underground water supplies.

A survey by the British Geological Survey (BGS) showed that parts of the county sits on the Bowland Shale deposit which spans Yorkshire and Lancashire.

The BGS estimate it could contain up to 37.6tr cubic metres of gas.

The government's lifting of the moratorium on fracking would allow companies which already hold licences to begin getting permission to explore the reserves.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) also announced a further round of offering licences to companies to drill for oil and gas.

Speaking in the House of Commons last month, Mr Rees-Mogg said: "We are going to ensure the UK is a net energy exporter by 2040.

"To get there we will need to explore all avenues available to us through solar, wind, oil and gas production, so it's right that we've lifted the pause to realise any potential sources of domestic gas."

The BBC has contacted (BEIS) for a response,