Mayor rallies public's support for Chesterfield retailers and hospitality businesses
Coun Glenys Falconer said: "I encourage the residents of Chesterfield to shop locally where they are able to, and pop into the...
GB
22 Jun 2021
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Medway Liberal Democrats support World Youth Skills Day on Thursday 15th July
On 15 July, UNESCO-UNEVOC will join the global celebrations to mark World Youth Skills Day (WYSD). The aim of WYSD is to recognize the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, entrepreneurship, and to highlight the crucial role of skilled youth in addressing current and future global challenges.
AWMLD
22 Jun 2021
Cabinet must withdraw Llanfihangel Rhydithon closure plans following Cabinet engagement decision
"The reassurance given to Cllr Pete Roberts (Lib Dem, Llandrindod South) in Cabinet today should spell the end of the current Llanfihangel Rhydithon Primary School closure plan". . .
22 Jun 2021
Honouring the Windrush Generation on Windrush Day
Today, June 22nd is Windrush Day, a day to honour and celebrate the British Caribbean community and those who travelled to the UK to live after the Second World War.
22 Jun 2021
Conservatives vote for Westbury Incinerator!
Wiltshire Council's Strategic Planning Committee met on Tuesday (June 22) to decide on the application from Northacre Renewable Energy Ltd to build what the committee report describes as a "moving grate combustion plant for the 'recovery' of energy from residual waste (Energy from Waste (EfW)). Moving grate combustion is a thermal process to break down waste into a fraction of its original size. The plant generates baseload renewable energy (i.e. steam, which can then be used for other purposes such as electricity generation and heating) and uses a flue gas treatment system to reduce the resultant flue gas emission concentrations to below (sic) environmental standards."
SWWLD
22 Jun 2021
"Staggering" Government suppression of sick pay access slammed
HM Treasury has suppressed access to sick pay for furloughed workers, it has been reported. "It is staggering that at a time when the country is being asked to make enormous sacrifices the Chancellor isn't doing everything in his power to ensure everyone is properly supported, including working families and vulnerable workers, and to help struggling businesses stay afloat," was the reaction of Cllr Robin Ashby, who speaks for Newcastle LIberal Democrtas on business and emplyment matters
22 Jun 2021
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, called on the government to provide incentives for energy providers to develop solar power in the UK.
Mrs Hobhouse slammed the government for falling behind on meeting the UK’s renewable targets for solar energy capacity. The government plans to deploy 70 GW of solar power across the country by 2035. However, as of 2022, the UK had only installed 14.3 GW of solar pv.
Following a visit to a rooftop solar system installed by Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE) at Beechen Cliff School last year, Wera Hobhouse is keen to encourage the development of similar solar projects across Bath. The solar system is predicted to significantly cut the school’s fuel costs and reduce their carbon emissions by 52 tonnes a year.
In the House of Commons on the 27th February, the Bath MP noted that the UK is lagging behind the rest of the world in renewable energy investment, she urged the government to offer incentives to energy providers to improve solar capacity.
However, Andrew Bowie, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero, ignored Hobhouse’s proposals, failing to describe the ways in which the government could incentivise solar energy. Instead, Bowie said that the government’s Solar Taskforce would publish recommendations for solar power and reiterated the government’s target to deploy 70 GW by 2035.
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, commented:
“The Conservatives are falling dangerously behind on meeting our targets for renewable energy production. It is no good the government setting an ambitious 70 GW solar target if they are nowhere near reaching it.
“It is clear that they have no plan to get us back on track to reach Net Zero. Evidently, they are more than happy to dismiss perfectly good proposals like incentivising solar power. That is why I am so proud that Bath is home to many community energy projects like the solar system at Beechen Cliff School, so that we can lead the way in renewables.”
“It is not just our climate targets harmed by the Conservatives’ delay. Families in Bath and across the country are struggling to pay soaring energy bills which investment in renewables could curb. That is why we Liberal Democrats would build significantly more renewable energy, aiming to generate 80% of our electricity from renewables by 2030.”
Peter Capener, Managing Director of Bath & West Community Energy said:
“Our work with schools is really demonstrating the value of community energy in both addressing the climate crisis and reducing fuel bills. Rooftop solar installed last year has already saved local schools a combined total of £134,209 and has reduced carbon emissions by 224.3 tonnes, which is equivalent to 12,173 journeys from Bath to Edinburgh by train!”
