Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George has challenged the First Minister to fight for the people of Mid Wales against any further wind farm infrastructure for the region.
The comments came after the First Minister, Carwyn Jones AM, made a statement this week on the Government’s progress on implementing its energy policy plan Energy Wales: A Low Carbon Transition, which he announced just over a year ago.
In his statement, Mr Jones, said that the Welsh Government’s working with the onshore wind industry has led to a ‘better understanding’ of how communities adjacent to wind farms can derive long-lasting benefit from the investment.
However, Mr George accused the First Minister of being ‘out of touch’ in not listening to communities across Wales. He said it was local determination that was ‘paramount’ and that Mr Jones should be standing up for the people of Mid Wales in its decision not to support any further wind farms or associated developments.
Commenting during the statement, the Montgomeryshire AM said:
"The importance of local determination should be paramount to any large-scale energy development or associated infrastructure.
"I and the residents of Mid Wales have not accepted that large-scale infrastructure development is going to take place and as First Minister you should be standing by our position.
"Small scale community-based energy schemes, are an essential element of energy policy in Wales and that Welsh Government needs to make it easier to increase micro-generation schemes that have full community support.
"However, the controversy over large-scale wind farm developments has had a considerable impact.
"In Mid Wales, there is a real feeling of mistrust of you and of your Government’s active support of the wind industry and the talk of community benefits is just too late.
"The concept of direct community benefits from developers is viewed as nothing more than a corporate sweetener in order to garner support or at least, tacit approval.
"We are rightfully concerned about the economic dis-benefits that over-development is going to have on the regional economy and that is why I believe it is so important that communities wherever they are in Wales, have full control of their own destiny."
The First Minister's full statement can be found here: http://www.assemblywales.org/docs/rop_xml/130514_plenary_bilingual.xml#83376