A petition has been launched calling on the government to return to Dorset some of the millions of pounds taken in tax on oil and natural gas from Poole Harbour.<\/p>\n
Retired academic Mike Plummer from Poole says that to date over 515 million barrels of oil has been extracted through Wytch Farm and sold for more than \u00a311.2 billion.<\/p>\n
The Treasury receives 40 per cent tax on all profits made by oil companies.<\/p>\n
Mike said the Shetland Islands have received \u00a3380 million from the government although the nearest oil field is 120 miles away.<\/span><\/p>\n By contrast Dorset had not received a penny but even a fraction of the money taken in tax could solve the financial problems faced by BCP Council.<\/p>\n He said: “I’m talking about Dorset oil coming from Dorset soil.<\/p>\n “It’s high time that Dorset people receive some financial benefit for the oil and gas that’s been extracted since 1979 from the Purbecks.<\/p>\n “Rather than levelling up north, why don’t they start levelling up down the south in Dorset?”<\/p>\n Mike, pictured, said he hoped to get up to 20,000 people to sign his petition.<\/p>\n He would then organise a march up to London and demand a meeting with Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.<\/p>\n