I FIND it very difficult to reconcile Wiltshire Council’s stance on fracking with its sustainability policies and its minerals strategy, that is now six years old, seems to have nothing on this subject.

Warminster Town Council, which is located at the centre of two of the latest licences to be issued by the Government, has already adopted a corporate policy that hydraulic fracturing is unwelcome, risky and inappropriate.

I have now asked Warminster Town Council to challenge Wiltshire Council to do more to get to grips with this issue.

I am very unhappy that as the minerals authority responsible it has not organised a public conference for all interested parties to attend.

There are a lot of issues to address which are of importance to local people who have contacted me.

Will our communities suffer from air pollution, noise, heavy traffic movements, and crucially here, water shortages, as we rely on aquifers?

I have also in the notice of motion I have tabled asked fellow town councillors to support a request that Wiltshire Council draws up a Supplementary Planning Document to have a clear and coherent oil and gas exploration strategy.

I am also a little bemused as to why an area known for its appeal to tourists has been chosen for exploration and the impact this will have on the contribution that it makes to the economy.

I hope that our local MPs do not resemble the nodding donkeys that are symbolic of onshore oil and gas mining but takes the view that this is an issue where they should represent their communities first.

I would urge all other town and parish councils to put this on their agenda quickly and provide a local public venue for this debate to start now we know where this is proposed.

Cllr Paul MacDonald, Boreham Field, Warminster