Council 'Must Engage Public' Over Turbine Plans

Fife Council needs to rethink how it handles wind turbine planning applications.

Councillor Ally Hunter's call comes after a public consultation for a turbine at Cotlands Park in Kennoway was attended by less than five people.

One of them complained.

The SNP represetnative for Levenmouth says the local authority needs to do more than book a town hall and hope people turn up.

He said: "If the council are serious about listening to their communities they must reach out to these communities using all means possible.

Failing to do so will leave the council wide open to criticism that they only consult to provide evidence for decisions they have already taken. We have had national standards for community engagement since 2005 so we should expect more than this shoddy practice’

Fenella McEwan, Fife Council Project Manager, said: “As with all our public consultations, we sent out press releases to promote the events, advertised them online, and put up posters in public places stating the dates and times. Nine events were held during March and April, with information panels and Council officers on hand to answer questions at each one.

“The consultation events in question were pre-planning application consultations. Fife Council has not submitted any new planning applications for wind turbines, so these events were to highlight sites which might be considered for wind turbines in the future." She added.

"Because of this, very few details could be confirmed at that time but we gave community councils and members of the public an opportunity to share their views at the outset.

“If Fife Council does submit any planning applications for wind turbines in the future, further consultations will take place for each application. These consultations will be advertised online, in the local press, and on the radio and we will also contact community councils too.”