HAMPSHIRE County Council issued reassurances on fracking, as the Government opens up the bidding process for companies seeking licences to drill for onshore oil and gas this week. Licences to frack in Hampshire have already been granted by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. These are all over the county, including one square of land which covers much of Alton and, to the east, Petersfield, Liss, Whitehill and Bordon. However, this doesn't give companies carte blanche to start mining, as they'd still need to apply for permission from the county council which would consider the proposal against their minerals policies on a "case-by-case basis". For full story, see this week's Alton Herald.