COMPLAINTS about a small wind turbine at a Port Fairy school will have to be dealt with by the school and the Department of Education, and not Moyne Shire Council.
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Moyne Shire formally acknowledged at this week’s meeting that it had received petitions from both sides in the matter.
The petitions relate to nearby residents complaining about noise and safety issues relating to a wind turbine at Port Fairy Consolidated School.
Twelve residents have signed a petition calling for the turbine to be moved or decommissioned.
Meanwhile a petition from the school has 540 signatures supporting the small-scale turbine.
But the council’s director of sustainable development Oliver Moles revealed the council could not be the referee on the issue because structures on Department of Education land were exempt from council’s planning controls, and instead came under the direct authority of the department.
“The matter is essentially for the school and the Department of Education,” Mr Moles said.
“They are responsible for the equipment and the safety.
“The recommendation is to refer the matter to the school and the department.”
The councillors voted to accept the petitions and inform the Department of Education of the matter.
They also voted to inform both sides of the matter about each other’s petition and to let both parties know the issue was being passed on to the Department of Education for its consideration.
Cr Kelvin Goodall said there was nothing the council could do about the matter.
“The legislation takes control of this turbine out of the hands of this council and into the hands of the department,” Cr Goodall said.
Cr Mick Wolfe said the council was not lobbying for either side.
“Our position is that we notify each party of the correspondence we’ve received from the other party – that’s the extent of it,” Cr Wolfe said.