Councils meeting to discuss wind farms
Wind farms will be the topic of conversation when Horizons Regional Council holds a mayoral forum tomorrow.
Mayors and chief executive officers from local district and city councils will gather to discuss the future of wind farms in the area, in a meeting that will be closed to the public.
Horizons chief executive officer Michael McCartney said the meeting is aimed at seeing if councils want to create a strategy for dealing with wind farms, or remain with the status quo.
“At the moment the developments that have occurred seem to be a little ad hoc.”
He said the main thing Horizons wants to achieve from the meeting is more certainty for the public.
“Is there a way we can collectively work together? Ultimately the community are the ones who will need to decide.”
However, Mr McCartney said it is necessary for the meeting to be closed to the public so the mayors and CEOs feel they can talk freely — “to see whether there’s a willingness to work together on this issue”.
“I think it’s an issue the whole region’s going to face in time.”
Horizons chairman Garrick Murfitt will run the meeting.
The meeting will start with a presentation from Horizons on what it considers the key issue, and will then be open for discussion.
Last year, Horizons backed a call from Environment Commissioner Morgan Williams for regional councils to take a lead in managing wind farm development.
Representatives from Manawatu, Palmerston North, Horowhenua and Tararua councils will attend the meeting.
By Katie Chapman
30 May 2007
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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