Selwyn_Times: January 17, 2024

Wednesday January 17 2024 Selwyn Times
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
LETTERS 13
Why not use buildings for solar farm
BRAVO TO the residents
fighting the turning of 111ha of
prime farmland near Leeston
into a solar panel wasteland.
Why wasteland you say? Because
solar panels produce unreliable
power for approximately 25
years.
They then become a nightmare
to dispose of as they are not
commercially viable to recycle
and contain heavy metals and
other nasty chemicals that can
leach into the land and possibly
get into our waterways.
If KeaX wants to build a
large solar power station, it
could make use of rooftops of
existing large buildings and
cover parking lots with a roof of
solar panels with cars parking
underneath. Many things are
possible. They don’t need to turn
our great farmland into a sea of
glass and steel.
- D Downward
Rates rise
In a recent issue (Selwyn
Times, December 13) you warn
of the ‘massive rates rise on
cards’ for Selwyn ratepayers in
the financial year beginning
July 1.
An increase of at least 20 per
cent is suggested by Mayor Sam
Broughton. He blames this on
rising interest rates, inflation,
and taking on more staff. While
SOLAR FARM: A map of the proposed venture near Leeston.
Right – protesters attached a sign to the outside of the
Brookside substation in December.
the first two are clearly out of
his control, the third is not. Yes,
the district is growing fast which
requires more staffing but there
are several other factors contributing.
First, there is the council’s
campaign against volunteers,
which has gone on for a few years
now. It was highlighted most at
the end of the last financial year
when council abolished all the
community committees with local
knowledge which had looked
after local communities. These
were formally incorporated in
council processes and have been
replaced by residents’ associations,
if communities form them,
which do not have the right to be
heard.
Their contributions have had
to be replaced by paid council
officers. Similarly, volunteer library
helpers have gone too. The
voluntary contributions were
cost-free, save for an annual pre-
Christmas function recognising
their efforts, but those were
stopped too a couple of years ago.
Volunteers are not under
the control of council and may
be perceived as a source of
liability, but at least they were
contributing to communitybuilding,
which staff living in
Christchurch do not.
Another issue is council’s
further restructuring.
We want to hear your views
on the issues affecting life
in Selwyn
Send emails to:
barry@starmedia.kiwi
Restructuring is not a costless
policy as redundancy and
related payments have to be
met. As chairman of Springston
Community Committee for
over 20 years I had got to know
which council officers were
effective in solving problems
and which were useless. Of
course it was the effective one
who was made redundant
and the other continues! The
effective one’s replacement has
resigned already. That is hardly
progress. I wonder how much
the redundancy bill was?
So Sam, you may have become
chairman of Local Government
New Zealand but you have left
significant staffing problems
behind you. What are you going
to do about it?
- Rupert Tipples
Letters may be edited or rejected at Star Media’s
discretion. Letters should be about 200 words.
A name, postal address and phone number should be
provided.
Please use your real name, not a nickname, alias, pen
name or abbreviation.
Let our agronomists
do the groundwork.
Grow with us.
We know farmers face ever-changing challenges – whether it be rising costs, weather uncertainties, or
shifting regulations. With Cates you have a local partner on the ground who will work with you to help your
farm to be more profitable and sustainable. We understand farmers, so call us today to discuss your land, your
plans and your options. Let’s grow together.
Contact
0800 900 308 | cates.co.nz