YP Letters: Opposition to Ryedale fracking is only growing

FOLLOWING the outrageous decision by North Yorkshire County Council planning committee to allow Third Energy to frack near Kirby Misperton despite overwhelming public opposition, members of Frack Free Ryedale will continue to campaign against this dangerous and polluting industry.

We have supporters from all walks of life – local residents, farmers, doctors, scientists, concerned business people and major landowners. They are from all political parties and all ages, many of whom have never been involved in a campaign before.

Since the NYCC decision, our support has more than doubled, and we intend to continue fighting to protect our communities, our way of life, rural jobs, the countryside and the wider environment from the curse of fracking.

From: David Cragg-James, Stonegrave, York.

HOW is Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom (The Yorkshire Post, May 28) so sure that UK protecting regulations are so much better than those of anywhere else?

From: Professor Andrew Price, Appleton-le- Moors, North Yorkshire.

AFTER two full days of representations, NYCC took just 20 minutes to discuss the application, in which a majority of the 11-strong committee said absolutely nothing. The people of Ryedale deserve better.

From: Robert and Rosalind Field, Gilling East.

ANDREA Leadsom thinks we are all just uninformed about fracking. She may be interested to know that the very many objectors to the planning application did not object on emotional grounds irrelevant to the planning process. Objections were backed up with months of research and expert advice.

This has important implications for due process in a democratic society. If government assumes the right to override the well-informed views and best interests of its own citizens, readers will have to decide for themselves whether we are fast losing the protection of our democratic institutions.

From: Judy Hutton, Nawton.

THOSE who voted in favour of fracking are not true Yorkshiremen, they displayed neither courage nor foresight but quite simply behaved like sheep.

From: Nigel Boddy, Fife Road, Darlington.

CAN we have a list of the names of the councillors who voted in favour of fracking and who voted against? Voters might want to know for future reference. We are still living in a democracy, aren’t we?

From: Paul Morgan, Canberra View, Barton-Upon-Humber.

TO a certain extent, the anti-fracking campaign lost the argument through not having a co-ordinated campaign.

Unfortunately such campaigners have a history of this, as shown by the recent protest in East Yorkshire outside a site where no fracking was taking place, or was ever likely to take place.

Although I am from outside the area, I do visit Ryedale and the North York Moors regularly. Fracking will not deter me from visiting in future. However what would deter me would be a blight of anti-fracking posters, protests and demonstrations blocking roads and causing chaos.

From: Michael A Clynch, Ingbirchworth, Sheffield.

YOUR contributor GP Taylor is typical of the smug “eco warrior” who believes his minority view of the world is always right (The Yorkshire Post, May 25).

Ryedale has considered the rational and safe case for fracking and has come to the democratic view to support a vital component of our energy needs in this country.

From: MD Hellawell, Cross Lane, Scarborough.

THERE should be no place nor necessity for fracking if the natural resources of wind and water power are better used.

Digital fix for NHS care

From: Bryn Sage, Inhealthcare, Harrogate.

YOU report that delays in discharging older patients from hospital when they no longer need care are costing the NHS in England £820m a year (The Yorkshire Post, May 26).

Your readers can expect to read more stories like these until commissioners understand and embrace the benefits of technology to drive out such wasteful and unavoidable practices.

Technology can bridge the divide between hospitals and local authority and community care services.

Digital care services support hospital discharge by giving clinicians more confidence that needs will be met within the care home.

Such services improve coordination between the NHS and care homes through better sharing of information. They improve the visibility of patient health and reduce hospital admissions by detecting warning signs earlier.

The NHS cannot continue on its current path. As the head of the National Audit Office warned, this problem will worsen without radical action.

From: David Mitchell, High Street, South Milford, Leeds.

HAVING been in hospital recently for an operation, I was amazed to learn that support for the training of nurses is being withdrawn by the Government.

My working example is a very good nurse who looked after me. She presently receives tuition fees support but would not have taken up nursing if the fees were not there to support her. She could simply not have afforded it. She was a mature student, a single parent supporting her family.

Potentially good people, with stacks of empathy for their patients will not be drawn into the NHS if they cannot afford the training.