The council is only causing anger with residents, ratepayers, environmental groups, and the wider agricultural community. 

It also raises many concerns as to how council uses community money. 

In the CWD on February 19, 2015 under the headline “Airport takes flight for industry”, mayor Davis said: “From time to time, the council takes inquiries from large-scale businesses who are searching for new locations where they can operate 24 hours a day.”

 The community has the right to know just what type of businesses council is considering, especially when it involves ground that is the water catchment and drinking water for thousands of people. 

It seems that councillors Davis,  Whitton and Gryllis don’t understand the Orange Local Environment Plan (2011) because if they did they would realise that the entire area around the airport is an area of “water vulnerability” and should be protected from such developments. 

Even the rules put into place with the airport extension stated the following conditions: 

1. To maintain neighbourhood amenity and character.

2. To ensure compliance with relevant statuary requirements.

3. To provide adequate public health and safety measures.

4. To ensure the utility services are available to the site and adequate for the development. 

5. To prevent the proposed development from having a detrimental effect on adjoining land uses.

6. To minimise the impact of development on the environment. 

Council wants to avoid any controversy with this area by rezoning the ground. It also intends to rezone land north of Clergate, near the Cabonne boundary and says it could be turned into a future satellite suburb.

The councillors who came up with these big plans couldn’t care less for the environment, the ratepayers amenity or the way this has upset the entire community; you should hang your heads in shame. 

People live at Spring Hill, Spring Terrace, Huntley  and Lucknow because they enjoy the quiet rural lifestyle. They haven’t spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on their property to have it spoilt by an industrial area operating 24/7. 

It’s only a matter of time before the present council has to become accountable for the waste of ratepayers’ funds and the way it treats its residents. 

In an age where climate change, the value of water reserves and open and transparent accountability within all government levels is the norm, why does Orange City Council operate with so many secrets, silent partners and a contempt for its ratepayers and the environment. Sometimes even some of its councillors don’t know what’s going on.

With an election for councillors due in 2016, it’s about time they start considering their electorate and the way they spend our money.

To have your say on the airport proposal and find out more, log on to www.facebook.com/SpringhillAirportDevelopment2015.

Robert Sanders,

Spring Terrace Water Group Inc and ratepayer