Mr Torbay and Councillor Smith met with the Transgrid representatives at a special meeting in Parliament House last week to raise the local community’s concerns regarding the future of the area’s power supply as well as the line’s proposed route.

Councillor Smith, who flew to Sydney for the meeting last week, said he has received an assurance that the local power supply would not be affected and might even improve as a result of the project.

However, at the meeting he expressed community concerns that the 2 kilometre corridor being considered for the new Bonshaw to Lismore high voltage line was too close to rural residential areas including historic Tenterfield Station and the local golf club.

Following last week’s talks Transgrid officers have agreed to attend a public meeting at the Memorial Hall on Saturday, June 13 at 11am. They have also offered to hold an information session for individual community members from 9am-11am prior to the meeting.

Mr Torbay said he would not put up with any downgrading of the Tenterfield power supply and that he and Councillor Smith would be attending the public meeting. He said they regard the meeting as an opportunity for people to directly voice their concerns and have their queries addressed.

“We welcomed assurances that the consultation and compensation processes to address community concerns over this project are being put in place. Studies are being conducted and no definite route has been established as yet,” Mr Torbay said.

“But I am insisting on a flexible approach to any proposed route to take into serious consideration the issues raised by the Tenterfield Council and the community on the line passing through closely settled areas.”

Peter Reid of the Transgrid Action Group - a group of Tenterfield landowners fighting the proposed new powerline - said the June 13 meeting was a breakthrough for the community in getting representatives from Transgrid involved in a public meeting.