At last Tuesday's Ordinary Council Meeting (17/2), all councillors voted to reject the Energy from Waste (EfW) facility and to also pursue all legal avenues to reject the EfW.

This means lawyers and legal expenses.

The Mayoral Minute was published late on Friday 13/2.

Most ratepayers would not be aware of the proposed resolutions.

Most of the resolutions were then amended at the meeting, without any of the public being notified.

All councillors at the meeting spoke to the issue, but we don’t know the reasons for how they voted.

The EfW is a major issue for all Parkes residents, but no notice was given of the Mayoral Minute.

It was posted online late on the Friday before.

The Mayor’s Desk Champion Post article was published two days after the vote, where he gave notice after the fact. This is not how a transparent democracy operates.

There is an activist group named the Parkes Clean Future Alliance that influences the council.

The Alliance provides commentary of opposition, but hides behind the name. These commentators never name themselves. No one is aware of who the office bearers are.

Why isn’t the Alliance worried about the use of Roundup being sprayed on agricultural land? It eventually contributes to the bees dying.

Councillor Joy Paddison has made a statement that more would be discussed at their next secret workshop, then mentioned a working party of councillors.

This is not the due process of a transparent council.

What is needed is that Parkes Council lobbies all of the ratepayers, first.

I ask that Mayor Westcott releases all transcripts that gives us the reasons why each councillor voted.

This major council motion needs to be placed on public exhibition of at least four weeks, for input from all residents. The public have a right to know.

Geoff Dunford, Parkes

Farmer activities 'far worse'

The Editor

I note that the Waste to Energy project has appeared to be receiving strong opposition from the local farming community.

I sympathise with their personal concerns and acknowledge they have a genuine apprehension about the possible effects of the project.

However, I question the credibility of the farming protestors on this issue.

The environmental effects that farming activity has created over the years – particularly that of various sprays, is much worse than the emissions from the WtE Plant.

Why is it that local farmers feel compelled to protest about the strictly controlled emissions from the WtE plant, yet continue to use toxic chemicals and sprays relatively uncontrolled?

As well as effects on air quality, it is also widely believed that farmland spraying, and the use of farm related chemicals, is responsible for health issues in farmers – notably Parkinson’s Disease.

Farmers have much more to worry about than the controlled emissions from the Waste to Energy Plant.

Ian Chambers, Parkes