“The suggestion of 5 per cent of gross income as a local levy would yield millions of dollars to our council budget,” Mr Barlow wrote. “For example, a 5pc on $84 million would yield council $4.2m annually.”

John Carter also wrote to the council, tabled at November’s meeting, to request the council approach both local Members of Parliament, Pru Goward (Goulburn) and Angus Taylor (Hume), to set in train a 5pc annual income levy from each turbine in the Shire.

“If the UK Government can do it, Australia can do it,” Mr Carter wrote.

Cr Culhane spoke about the two letters and their requests.

“This information is very ill-informed and if we (council) put this information to our Federal members, we will be considered a laughing stock,” he said.

Cr Searl said the council needed to investigate the idea’s feasibility.

Cr Kensit agreed that a workshop was a good idea. “I do think we can’t sit on our hands any longer while our capital city is becoming ‘green and clean’,” she said. “(Upper Lachlan) is providing the energy for them.”

Councillors voted unanimously to form a workshop to investigate the feasibility of amending its current Wind Farm Development Control Plan, regarding wind turbine income from new wind farms.

The Mayor undertook to raise this matter with Ms Goward.