The council resolved at its last meeting to adopt Sutherland Shire local environmental plan 2006 draft amendment 4, and will now request that the planning minister approves the draft.

Included in the plan were changes to the restrictions that used to exist for the installation of solar panels.

Correspondence from the council to the network said the controls on solar devices had been ``overly restrictive''.

Convener Jonathan Doig said the network had taken the council to task over two of the old conditions.

Mr Doig said the network had been pleased solar panels were included as complying development, but the plan had stipulated they must not be visible and they must complement the colour of roofing materials.

``Those conditions made the fact solar panels were included as complying development virtually meaningless,'' he said.

``Solar panels, by their very nature, are going to be visible and they don't come in terracotta.''

After approaches from the network, the council agreed, and removed the conditions, meaning residents no longer need a development application to power their homes with green electricity.

``At least we have one tier of government that is switched on,'' Mr Doig said.

``We'll be waiting to see what candidates in September's council election have to offer in terms of other local responses to climate change.

``Sadly, our state and federal governments are still living in the dark ages.

``Peter Garrett has just placed a means test on the solar power rebate, effectively killing off three-quarters of the demand.

``Meanwhile in NSW, Michael Costa is still pushing to sell off our electricity industry and [is] demanding the Federal Government compensates companies silly enough to buy our dirty coal power stations.''