ENERGY companies have been told to “frack off” after a motion was passed to stop fracking along part of Somerset’s coast.

The government announced in 2015 that seven new licence areas for shale gas exploration and extraction would be created along the Somerset coast, stretching from Minehead to Clevedon.

Somerset West and Taunton Council passed a motion on Tuesday evening (July 16) stating that no fracking should take place in the district, which includes the Exmoor National Park, for fear the natural landscape could be devastated.

The final decisions on any formal fracking proposals will be taken by Somerset County Council or the Exmoor National Park Authority, depending on the location in which companies desire to operate.

Councillor Caroline Ellis (Liberal Democrat, North Town) spoke passionately against fracking at the full council meeting at Deane House.

She said: “Areas around Minehead, Watchet and a corner of the Exmoor National Park were licensed for fracking in 2015. We cannot let drilling happen.

“We do not want our beautiful countryside industrialised and despoiled. We are not prepared to see our water supplies put under such intolerable pressure.”

Ms Ellis claimed the organisations which regulate fracking are “significantly underfunded” and said the companies involved in drilling could not be trusted to carry out their own monitoring.

She added: “Fracking produces higher levels of greenhouse gases than any other fossil fuel. It would torpedo our urgent efforts to make this district carbon-neutral by 2030 and avert a climate catastrophe.

“The message from this council needs to be loud and clear: not here, not anywhere. Frack off!”

While current government policy is in favour of fracking in principle, local authorities can adopt policies which go against this provided they are supported by scientific evidence, following a High Court judgement in May.

Councillor David Mansell (Green, Wiveliscombe and District) said the motion would be “a strong deterrent to fracking ever occurring in Somerset”.

He also called for the council to remove any investments it held in fossil fuels.

Councillor Brenda Weston (Labour, Priorswood) added: “I don’t know what we would be thinking about supporting fracking in an area so close to a nuclear power station.”

Councillor Ian Aldridge (Independent, Watchet and Williton) said fracking was “immoral” in light of the council declaring a climate emergency earlier in the year.

He added: “Britain was once described as an island of coal floating in a sea of oil. That was seen as a strategic advantage – but times have changed.”

Council leader Federica Smith-Roberts said the council was “listening to local residents” and approving the motion would be “doing something for our children and grandchildren”.

The council voted to make the district a “frack-free zone”, with only three councillors not voting in favour – Catherine Herbert (who voted against), and Roger Habgood and Andrew Hadley (who abstained).

The authority will now call on the county council and national park authority to pass similar motions and change their planning policies to “implement a presumption against” all fracking applications, as well as lobbying central government to change its views on fracking.