'Muzzling debate' or following process? Claims fly over solar farm talks

But the council has hit back, saying it must observe meeting protocol and the community will have input into any possible benefits flowing from the Gundary solar farm.

Four Goulburn Group (TGG) members asked the council if they could speak during public forum at the Tuesday, May 21 meeting. However the request was rejected.

"There is no other way to put it - this is an outrageous attempt to muzzle a community group that supports renewable energy and wants to see the best deal for Goulburn from a $540 million project," TGG vice-president, Mike Steketee, said in a statement.

"We are dismayed that the council has adopted an anti-development stance, that it is acting against the interests of the broader community and is conducting its affairs in secret."

TGG issued its release on social media before Tuesday's meeting.

Mr Steketee said the four wanted to ask questions about the council's negotiation of a voluntary planning agreement (VPA) with solar farm proponent, Lightsource BP. The agreement underpins community benefits flowing from the $540 million planned project, off Windellama and Mountain Ash Roads.

He questioned how the council could negotiate the agreement when councillors voted eight to one to oppose the solar farm at their April 9 meeting. Mr Steketee described it as "a clear conflict of interest."

However council CEO Aaron Johansson said it was "truly disheartening" that TGG didn't engage directly with his organisation about its concerns.

"This marks the third occasion where TGG has opted for public forums to discuss council matters, neglecting the opportunity to resolve these issues through direct communication with the council initially," he said.

He cited the council's Code of Meeting Practice under which people could only speak during public forum on items that were in the current meeting agenda. As the Gundary solar project was not listed in the May 21 agenda, there was no such opportunity for anyone to do so, Mr Johansson said.

Mr Steketee described this as a "technicality that could easily have been waived."

"In the five minutes (allotted to each person) we simply wanted to ask some questions on behalf of the community about the negotiations," he said.

"Like who is negotiating the agreement on behalf of the council? What is being negotiated? Where can we find information on the VPA? Why has the public not been informed about the negotiations?

"The Gundary solar farm is the biggest project proposed for the Goulburn region in the history of the city."

TGG wants commitments to local employment, business contracts, apprenticeships, a community benefit fund for road upgrades and facilities, and support for groups.

"Many communities around Australia are already receiving benefits from solar and wind projects to the tune of millions of dollars," Mr Steketee said.

"What about Lightsource BP kicking in some money for the rail trail to Goulburn - something that would attract hundreds of visitors?

"The council has been listening solely to a tiny minority that opposes the Gundary project. It has ignored the views of the many members of the community who strongly support the transition to renewables and want Gundary to go ahead."

But Mr Johansson said guidelines underpinning state significant-scale energy projects required proponents to "proactively engage with communities, including councils, on benefit sharing."

Lightsource BP had started this process but to date, nothing had been agreed or endorsed with the council, he said.

"Under the VPA process, the council is required to consider any proposed agreement at its ordinary meeting, with these documents being made available for public comment for 28 days," Mr Johansson said.

"This has been consistently demonstrated by VPAs undergoing a similar process and public consultation period over the past two years. The opportunity to speak to the matters raised by TGG would be when these VPAs are presented to the council for consideration."

Negotiations with the proponent were still underway and a report would be presented to a future council meeting.

"Importantly, prior to any agreements being formalised or entered into, a transparent legal process must be observed, which includes community consultation and consideration at an ordinary council meeting," Mr Johansson said.