TAMWORTH councillor Russell Webb has blocked a bid to install solar power at a distinctive council-owned facility.
Cr Webb argued solar panels on any of the roofs at the AELEC centre would detract from the overall aesthetic of the South Tamworth facility.
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“I’ve got solar at home myself, but I would hate to see solar fitted to AELEC,” he said.
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His concerns gained traction with the rest of the councillors who eventually voted to defer committing to an installation at AELEC until further research was done to see if solar panels would impact the equine centre’s aesthetics.
Despite shunting the AELEC option, council also approved solar installations at 11 other council-owned facilities, including TRECC, the Sports Dome and the Tamworth library.
It signals a commitment to renewable energy from Tamworth Regional council, but Glenn Inglis cast doubt over the estimated payback period on the million dollar project.
However, most councillors believed the renewable push was headed in the right direction.
Jacob McArthur
Jacob McArthur is a producer for The Canberra Times. As part of production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth. He kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council, as well as the public health system, writing extensively about water security, the need for better palliative care services, and medicinal cannabis. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
Jacob McArthur is a producer for The Canberra Times. As part of production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth. He kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council, as well as the public health system, writing extensively about water security, the need for better palliative care services, and medicinal cannabis. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
