With energy security high on the government’s agenda it is interesting to see the latest government’s efforts to get community buy-in for Shale Gas exploitation and to provide benefit over and above the anticipated increase in local employment opportunities. Monetary benefits will be made available at the Exploration Phase ( £100,000 at each well site location) and if commercial production goes ahead then 1% of total revenues available to provide benefits for the local community.
The consultation seeks to explore the following key issues:
- what the government’s priorities should be for the Shale Wealth Fund
- the allocation of funding from the Shale Wealth Fund to different stakeholder groups
- the extent to which the industry community benefits scheme and the Shale Wealth Fund should be aligned
- potential delivery models for the Shale Wealth Fund to ensure that households and communities benefit, and to decide how funds are spent, and how any process should be administered.
Responses, online, by post, or by email, are invited by 25 October 2016 when this consultation will close. Further details on how to respond are contained in Section 5 of the consultation document which can be downloaded at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/544241/shale_wealth_fund_final_pdf-a.pdf
