A COUNCIL investigating whether objections to a fracking proposal are genuine has dismissed claims that it launched the inquiry over one letter.

Frack Free Ryedale said a lawyer representing the group, which is battling to block Third Energy's plans to extract shale gas from up to 3km below the ground at Kirby Misperton, near Pickering, had been told by two North Yorkshire County Council solicitors that a single letter had been disputed.

The lawyer has also advised the group that the authority's solicitors were uncertain if the letter was a representation relating to the planning application.

In an officers' report to North Yorkshire County Council planning committee, it was stated some objections sent en masse via e-mail included messages had been unknown to the owner of the email address or the named person on the letter.

It stated: "The authority has been informed by members of the public that their personal data may have been used without their consent. The scale of this is unknown at this point in time."

The council also raised the suggestion of possible fraudulent activity in a press release, stating: "If any of the council’s enquiries raise matters that require police attention those matters will be referred to the police."

David Davis, of Frack Free Ryedale, said the council's vague language and mention of possible police involvement had been extremely prejudicial to the objectors' reputation and urged the council to provide details on the number of letters or emails in dispute.

He said: "While these allegations relate to online objections from national campaign groups, not personal objections from members of Frack Free Ryedale, these are still very serious allegations, particularly when compounded by a council press statement stating that this matter may need to be referred to the police."

The group is pressing the council to issue a public statement over the matter, including details about the questionable objections, alongside an apology to those opposing the application, if appropriate.

A council spokeswoman declined to state how many letters had been disputed, but she added: "It is definitely more than one."

She said the scale of issue remained unknown as officers were verifying more than 4,000 letters it had received over the controversial scheme.