I AGREE with Cllr Whetton (letters, May 29) that it was disappointing that voters were unable to scrutinise Labour’s manifesto before the local elections.

I did, however, take a look at that published by Trafford Tories, and I was alarmed that I could find no mention of the word ‘fracking’, nor of ‘shale gas’.

There was a pledge to ‘reduce our energy consumption and carbon footprint through the use of innovative technology’, but I don’t see how that will be possible if they allow fracking to go ahead in the borough.

Under ‘Public protection’ they pledge to: “Continue to work to reduce pollution and protect our residents from its effects.”

That’s encouraging, but it surely means that fracking, which will pollute our water table, worsen climate change, and likely cause localised earth tremors, must be given short shrift by the council.

Given that David Cameron has offered so-called financial incentives to councils that allow fracking, and that he is committed to changing trespass laws to allow fracking under people’s homes without their consent, it is frankly baffling that this important issue was not mentioned in the Trafford Tories’ manifesto.

We need a commitment that Trafford Council will refuse any licence to frack.

Otherwise, we will pay for it for decades to come, and I can assure you that local property prices will be very quickly impacted.

Dr Nigel Woodcock Kings Road, Stretford