YP Letters: Changing political landscape over fracking

Fracking rigs like this one are a common site in America.

LAST week, you published a letter from a resident in Australia, who said that to his knowledge fracking had not been an issue at the last election.

My recollection is that at least one hustings meeting the Conservative candidate who was elected, Mr Kevin Hollinrake, seemed to give the impression that he was against fracking.

At that time, the only PEDL licence that had been issued in Ryedale was the one for KM8 (Kirby Misperton).

The Thirsk and Malton constituency goes from Filey to Thirsk and beyond in one direction and to York in the other.

So most voters could be forgiven for thinking that fracking had nothing to do with them.

This situation has dramatically changed, as there is now not a single part of the constituency where there is no PEDL licence for fracking.

However, the election for the district council also took place at the same time as the General Election.

I can confirm categorically that fracking was an  important issue in my election campaign, and anti-fracking councillors were elected in Malton, Norton, Pickering and other wards.