THE fight against fracking in Ryedale is gathering speed as town and district councillors call for public meetings to better inform residents on what fracking could mean for the area.

Councillor Lindsay Burr has put forward a motion to Ryedale District Council to call upon them to facilitate a public meeting on the matter.

Coun Burr said: “Fracking is a very new and important issue to residents of Ryedale and there are so many unknown factors which need properly discussing with the public.

“As a County Councillor I am particularly concerned for my residents in my division who live with the real threat that fracking may soon start in Kirby Misperton.”

Gas company Third Energy UK Gas Limited announced last month that it would be applying for permission to frack at an existing well site in Kirby Misperton to test for gas.

Coun Burr’s motion, which is seconded by Coun Elizabeth Shields, will be put to the council at a meeting tomorrow (Thursday) at Ryedale House at 6.30pm.

Coun Burr said: “I hope all councillors from all political persuasions agree to this motion and will agree to put impartial and sound information in the public domain as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, town councillors in Kirkbymoorside held a meeting in the towns Methodist Church last Friday which saw experts from Durham University deliver a talk to a full audience. Professor Jon Gluyas, Dean of Knowledge Exchange and Sam Almond, ReFINE Research Assistant at the university delivered a talk to concerned residents who were eager to find out more about fracking.

Chris Dowie said that the talk had proved useful in helping to answer a lot of resident’s questions.

She said: “It was a really good meeting and the feedback we got was that people found it really useful and I feel that the town council is now a lot more informed on fracking as well.”

The town council also agreed to form a policy on the matter at a council meeting in the town on Monday evening.

The policy was proposed by Coun Martin Brampton and seconded by Coun Joe Coughlan.

Coun Brampton said: “We have a number of unresolved concerns about important aspects of fracking and therefore are opposed to any fracking activities in our locality until such a time as satisfactory answers are forthcoming.”

Councillors then took a vote and it was unanimously agreed to accept the proposed policy.

The council said that further consideration to elaborate on the policy would be included at the town council’s January meeting.