I HAVE read with interest the recent letters regarding the debate over the efficacy of wind farms.

My view is that wind farm developments are normally bitterly opposed and unlikely to make any significant contribution to the UK’s national power grid.

At past planning meetings I have judged such planning applications purely on merit.

What does concern me is the safety of nuclear power plants.

They should be phased out as soon as possible.

One alternative is coal. It is estimated that we have between 300 to 500 years of this fossil fuel still buried underground in the UK.

I am sure with today’s modern technologies we can find cleaner and safer methods of using this fuel.

Spennymoor Liberal Democrats discussed the merits of coal gasification – the process of creating coal gas.

I have asked our new president, Tim Farron MP, to pursue this subject and I was referred to Andrew George MP, who I have asked to investigate.

The rising prices of gas, which will hit the elderly particularly hard, was caused by a lack of foresight by previous governments.

Councillor Ben Ord, Chairman, Spennymoor Liberal Democrats.