CERTAIN councillors, as reported, have displayed a rather narrow-minded view regarding the withdrawal of their support for the anti-fracking campaigners.

In doing so, I believe they may not fully understand the environment in which they live, nor the processes of democracy itself.

They should be aware of the creeping secrecy that shrouds democratic principles and which is responsible for destroying our education facilities, our heritage buildings, our wildlife – and hiding the facts about fracking would lead to the air we breathe being degraded and our natural water sources from aquifers and water springs that take years to filter through the rocks.

In the context of fracking, the county council has run roughshod and prevaricated over the democratic procedures to such an extent that licences were granted by default.

The anti-fracking campaigners are trying their best to halt fracking here in our woodlands.

When I attended a fracking determination meeting in Shire Hall, I saw and spoke to a lone police sergeant totally in control. As far as I could see, he did not have a Taser with him.

The meeting went ahead and the public gallery was packed out and yet you could hear a pin drop.

Again and having looked at the videos of the inside and outside of the district council offices, the policing and containment was impeccable.

There were certainly no doors broken. The police officers were stoical and dealt professionally with the considerable banter.

However, these young campaigners believe strong­ly in their opposition to fracking.

If fracking goes ahead, we will see our wildlife being translocated from every fenced off well-head across the Dean.

Their wildlife habitats of newts, bats, dormice, birds, insects and the ant colonies and plant life will be poisoned.

I would ask those councillors to climb back down off their soap-boxes and try again to understand the issues and for the sake of future generations to respectfully unite with the campaigners.

– Cllr Andrew Gardiner (Ind), Forest of Dean District Council, Lydbrook and Ruardean.