MORE than 800 councillors have signed an open letter opposing government proposals to allow exploratory drilling for fracking without a planning application.
Among the signatories are Bournemouth councillor Simon Bull and Poole councillors Mike Brooke, Xena Dion, Andy Hadley, Marion Le Poidevin, Sandra Moore, Marion Pope and Vikki Slade.
"We put a motion before Poole council last week on similar lines, calling for them to contact the government to oppose the proposed changes, and to ban fracking within the borough," said Cllr Brooke.
"What the government is proposing will make it very much easier for fracking to go ahead."
The letter was put together by campaign groups Friends of the Earth and 350.org, and claims the proposals are "an affront to local democracy and risk industrialising the countryside".
Some 40 councils have also agreed to formally oppose the plans.
Fracking for shale gas remains controversial with critics claiming it will lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and cause dangerous earth tremors.
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