CAMPAIGNERS opposing drilling for gas in the Forest of Dean have called on Glou­cestershire county coun­cillors to show a united front on the issue.

Frack Off Our Forest (FOOF) says it is “dismayed” by county councillors using the issue as a political football.

The Forest of Dean Council has already voted decisively to oppose exploration for ‘unconventional’ fuels.

The government has granted exploration licences for four areas in the Forest and a South Wales company has given a firm commitment to test drill in the eastern half of the district to establish if there are reserves of coal bed methane.

It has until December 2020 to complete exploration with licences granting another five years for appraisal and the option for 20 years of gas extraction.

FOOF has written to all 53 members of the county council urging them to support a motion calling on Energy Secretary Amber Rudd to immediately withdraw the licences.

The motion is due to go before councillors at a meeting of the full council on Wednesday, February 17.

In an e-mail to councillors, FOOF’s Owen Adams said: “We have been dismayed to see councillors at county level dividing according to party loyalties, including at the last environment scrutiny meeting Labour and Lib Dem councillors vying for credit for who sent the motion back to full council.

“In the Forest of Dean, all parties are united against fracking/coalbed methane extraction. Can we get this consensus at county level?

“I ask all councillors to allow the motion to go through, to stand up for your electorate as a bulwark of local democracy against this undemocratic, unreasonable and frankly dangerous dash for gas.”

He added: “We are currently collating a list of governmental and peer-reviewed scientific papers, as well as news reports from credible sources and are also in touch with an international network of researchers.

“Our aim is to make the case against CBM (coal­bed methane) exploration and development and other potential unconventional gas and oil technologies in Gloucestershire but we will be doing so using facts and credible sources.”

FOOF has a number of public events planned including a demonstration at the Coleford clock tower on Sunday, January 31 at noon, and an anti-fracking tea party at Blakeney Village Hall on Wednesday, February 3 between 3pm and 6pm.