Council leader drives the debate on wind farms

Shropshire residents will be guaranteed their views will be heard as Shropshire Council Leader, Keith Barrow, takes the wind farm debate to Westminster.

On 13 July, Councillor Barrow will meet Owen Paterson, MP for North Shropshire and Nick Winser, who is responsible for the National Grid’s plans for the Welsh wind farms project, at the House of Commons to discuss the issue.

The National Grid is currently carrying out the first stage of its public consultation into plans proposing the construction of a new substation, and Shropshire Council is one of the consultees.

At the Shropshire Council Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 15 June, members will discuss the council’s response to the consultation and local people are invited along to give their views.  Any responses received at the meeting will help the council make its official response to the consultation.

The council’s proposed response to the consultation says that overhead cables should not pass through Shropshire. If this is unavoidable, the council is recommending that they should be carried underground, with any route being determined by social, economic and environmental constraints.

Councillor Keith Barrow, leader of the council, said:

“I am delighted to be meeting with Nick Winser and Owen Paterson to talk about this issue, which is crucially important to Shropshire people. You still have time to let us know your opinions on the National Grid’s consultation, so why not come along to our Cabinet meeting on Wednesday and contribute to the Shropshire response.”

If you wish to speak at the meeting or make a statement, please contact Shropshire Council by 10am on Tuesday 14 June. Call Penny Chamberlain on 01743 252729 or email: penny.chamberlain@shropshire.gov.uk.