Home Office needs to step in over fracking

WATCHING the TV news earlier this week, I saw a report on the fracking protests taking place near Blackpool.

They have been going on for some time now after the government overturned Lancashire county council’s decision to refuse permission for the controversial shale gas extraction process there.

What caught my eye was the fact that police vans from Wales were patrolling the site – the clue being in the Welsh writing on the side of the van.

It was a reminder of the on-going burden of the fracking stand-off on local police – and the fact that as it stands, Lancashire Police picks up the bill for the extra work.

At a time when cuts are being made to front-line services at the police, such as the shuttering of the only police front counter in Rossendale at Waterfoot, this is particularly bad news.

Public protests have to be permitted, and the fracking battle is one which has the potential to be felt right across Lancashire, including here in Rossendale.

But it’s also essential that just by living close to the first place to have a fracking site, Lancashire’s residents don’t lose police services because the force has to divert resources to protests.

It’s time for the Home Office to guarantee that Lancashire Police won’t be worse off for policing a battle between government policy and the will of local residents.