Hawkesbury Council will investigate innovative ways to increase sustainability on specific projects in the area.
Cr Mary Lyons-Buckett, the chair of Council’s sustainability advisory committee, brought the idea to Council as a notice of motion saying many other councils were venturing into new ways of increasing their levels of sustainability, including investing in renewable energy technologies.
‘‘Darebin Council in Victoria have bought bulk solar panelling and have a system where residents can buy them and pay them off in their rates ... it’s good for lower socio-economic families,’’ she said.
‘‘I know these are big things to think about but it’s for the future ... I’m hoping through the committee that we as a council start to come up with ideas that can generate revenue for us.
‘‘Given we reside in a vulnerable area on the fringe of the city, we need to be at the forefront of looking at sustainable options on a smaller scale to other councils,’’ she said.
Cr Lyons-Buckett saidCouncil needed to do more than just pass development applications.
‘‘We need to improve our LGA and get something started,’’ she said.
Cr Paul Rasmussen supported the motion saying there was plenty of funding out there in the way of grants for those types of projects.
‘‘The funding is out there, we just need to have the ideas and energy to pursue it,’’ he said.
Cr Barry Calvert said he shared the concern that Hawkesbury Council didn’t seem to be pursuing such opportunities in any way.
‘‘Many towns in Victoria are self-sustainable. I would have thought an area such as the Hawkesbury would be an ideal place to implement some of those ideas,’’ he said.
‘‘We need to be looking to the future, at ways we can assist the community to become more sustainable ... and council would be the ideal place,’’ he said.
Cr Leigh Williams agreed it would address climate change, while being practical and would save the Council money.
Cr Warwick Mackay said Council had already begun investing in solar energy.
‘‘We aren’t sitting on our hands ... the council building is solar powered [on a 40kw system] as is the Deerubbin Centre [at Windsor],’’ he said.
‘‘I think us having a 40kw system is very minor,’’ Cr Lyons-Buckett said in response.
