UK Shale Gas World Conference Censored

UK Shale Gas World Conference Censored

Following a question set to Councillor Mike Jones on Dee 106.3, regarding the impartiality of CWaC Councillor Andrew Dawson, the YouTube video of Cllr Dawson addressing the UK Shale Gas World conference in 2013 has been removed from public view. 

During his presentation last year, Cllr Andrew Dawson, Frodsham’s councillor, told Francis Egan (Cuadrilla Resources) and Andrew Austin (iGas): “I hear you and I despair. We need you to be very good neighbours. We need you to go beyond bus shelters.” (read more here)

He added: “We will welcome you with open arms if you don’t take us for mugs. Stop mugging us…You guys need people like me; who are very much on your side.” He also stated that “…we very much want to be a team.”

Cllr Dawson suggested shale gas firms should be far more generous by providing more infrastructure and increasing their influence in universities with academic posts; as well as proposing the industry take leading roles in the running of local schools. Cllr Dawson also encouraged industry representatives to become members of local government.

His views may be a personal stance, but he was elected to represent the people of Frodsham, and he is a member of the CWaC council. Are they his views or are they CWaC’s too? The removal of this video from the public domain is quite interesting and alarming. Cllr Andrew Dawson YouTube Gone Private

Should it be a concern of other resident’s boroughs of CWaC that these views, and open invitations to the Unconventional Gas industry, are being aired at the UK Shale Gas World conference, and possibly other ‘not-too-well publicised’ conferences/events too?

CWaC leader Mike Jones, who has confirmed that he will be attending this years conference, has recently set up an all party working group to look at all aspects of the Unconventional Gas Industry. He has stated that: ‘A cross-party working group has been set up to examine all the implications of unconventional gas and oil extraction techniques. This group will be meeting soon to discuss its full terms of reference. The chairman, Councillor Mark Williams has made it abundantly clear that we will be gathering evidence from both sides of this debate – including the public – so that we can come to an informed decision.’

How open and unbiased this working party can be, as members of the council are attending the UK Shale Gas World conference (free of charge), is uncertain.

Wouldn’t it have been more open and transparent for the whole cross-party working group (including public members) to be present at this gas-industry sponsored conference so that every person who is on the group can have the same understanding?

Cllr Andrew Dawson’s presentation last year was not made public until yesterday (9/5/14) – one wonders if any CWaC representatives will allow their views to be made accessible to the public, and electorate, at the UK Shale Gas World conference in 2014!