The document discusses establishing "Frack Free Zones" at the county level to oppose fracking and shale gas exploration. It recommends county councils passing motions declaring their county a frack free zone to unite local anti-fracking campaigns behind a common goal. This would build political support for a national fracking moratorium by showing growing public and political opposition at the local level. Suggested campaign tactics include gathering petition signatures, recruiting support from community groups, and presenting to the county council to get them to pass a frack free zone declaration.
4. why?
• connects + unites isolated local anti-fracking campaigns behind common goal:
frack free zones + frack free future
– currently a series of unconnected, under-resourced local campaigns face a potentially
unending / exhausting sequence of ‘licence to drill’ planning application battles
• provides local level objective that is achievable / politically meaningful and gives
Councils a symbolic / strategic choice about County’s future
– bring longer-term thinking about energy future into play – reference any relevant local
‘sustainable development’ plans and new NPPF guidance on renewables and planning
principle on low carbon transition
– leapfrog hard-to-win series of individual planning application campaigns
• builds political support for national moratorium
– existing stoppage on ‘fracking’ aside (pending DECC decision on Cuadrilla quakes), a national
moratorium is currently unrealistic due to lack of political will – Counties declaring as FFZs
reinforce each other and triangulate political / public opinion for ministers
• makes progress visible (to media, decision-makers, industry) at a national level as
one County after another declares frack free
5. and …
• a FFZ campaign allows Counties without
current proposals / planning applications to
join in / be pre-emptive
6. and …
• it’s positive, suggesting the alternative:
community renewable energy
7. how? local FFZ campaign approach
• frame campaign about control over local / county futures and place
– ‘we won’t be druv’ (West Sussex resident to Cuadrilla, Jan 2012)
• creating political opposition (and opportunity) at a local / county level
– ‘narrative’ = “we don’t want it here”: visible local signs and stickers, local meetings, petitions,
and mobilisation of active local community members + organisations (e.g., WI, CPRE, etc.) –
adopt resolutions in opposition to fracking / gas development to create a sense of geographic
opposition and begin to engage with broader political process
– aim = fracking rejected by local communities + organisations on possible water pollution,
landscape, noise and disturbance, and industrialisation grounds (which are more immediate
and resonant with local interests than climate change)
– though some local groups are doing so, the main objective is not to lock horns locally with
the shale gas industry in the planning system but to begin to cut down their room for
manoeuvre and show that fracking is not politically viable
8. legal anatomy / locus of an FFZ
• County Council acts as local Minerals Planning Authority
and grants permission for activity in PEDLs
– planning permission: granted / rejected on basis of ‘material
planning consideration’ – based on planning policy and relevant
laws
– see new guidance on planning in the National Planning Policy
Framework (March 2012)
• note paragraphs 142-149 on mineral extraction which appear to
promote development
• note paragraphs 17 and 97: principle of low carbon transition, plus
promotion of renewable energy
– refer to any existing local development plans that promote
sustainability
9. possible FFZ campaign mechanics
• Objectives
– County Council makes FFZ ‘declaration’ via council vote
– local MP supports campaign: signs EDM / calls for moratorium (+ supports renewables / community energy)
• Steps
1. local group prepares and plans – e.g., identify one person to be campaign co-ordinator, ensure website
has good evidence base, identify key spokesperson with key messages about positive frack free future,
and prepare collateral – see below – and identifies possible campaign timeline with key Council meeting
dates / targets
2. local campaign group declares desire for county to be a FFZ along with 2-3 key supporters / champions
(e.g., local DJ, councillor, vicar, local business, etc.) - involves local paper, approaches local MP for support
+ seeks constituency meeting
3. brief and recruit support from other local CS organisations (e.g., local WI, local FoE, local Green Party,
local Wildlife Trust, local CPRE group, and other clubs, societies, etc. – the more at County level the
better) who declare support for FFZ, pass their own resolution, give quote for website / local media story
when join, and help with petition
4. local groups launch petition to County Council calling for debate and declaration on frack free future –
ensure this has set target number and deadline aimed at a Council meeting / vote or similar
5. local group meets with MP and other CS leaders to update and provide media opportunity for the MP
6. gather signatures – go out and collect as many people as possible to sign it, including local decision-
makers, councillors and other prominent local people.
7. present petition to Council in advance of meeting, inc. presence of local CS leaders – inform media, etc.
8. Council meeting / debate + outcome
9. Council Leader declaration (announcement of desire to be frack free) alongside call for moratorium (+
call for renewables support in development plan – TBC if county is ready / relevant)
10. local campaign frames this as FFZ for local / national media and MP responds / signs EDM / supports call
for moratorium
• Collateral
– petition text and sheets / online mechanism / DIY photo petition on local group blog site
– flyers, posters, stickers, badges, T-shirts, signs, placards, banners (as appropriate)
10. example / opportunity: Ireland / Northern Ireland
"At a recent county council meeting ★
Fermanagh County Council voted to ban
Fracking in the council area.
★
In the Republic 5 county councils (Leitrim, ★ ★
Donegal, Sligo, Roscommon, and Clare) all
voted unanimously across the board with ★
every political party voting to ban Fracking
in their council areas with some moving to
explicitly state that there be a ban in their
county development plan.
★
This has no influence on national policy or
law in the republic but shows complete/
across the board support for a ban on
fracking in these areas by local people and
politicians.”
Michael McEvoy, Northern Ireland, January 2012
11. these are effectively self-
declared ‘frack free zones’
they could declare as FFZ and help to
inspire other groups to do the same
