This lamp post on Turnmill Avenue seems to have been forgotten and has not been changed to the new LED ones. We have reported it but the Council ususally takes at least 28 days to fix lamp posts so we cannot expect a quick turnaround here.
This phase of the Local Plan consultation closes at 5pm on Friday 3 September. If you haven't already, the Council is reminding you to make sure you have your say.
The waste collection service throughout South Hams shows no signs of improvement and the number of missed collections throughout the district is still at an unacceptable level. FCC, the Council's waste collection contractor, still fails to fulfil its contractual obligations in providing a service that the residents of South Hams deserve and expect. We have reached the stage where the administration at SHDC should tell FCC that it is time for it to step aside and make way for others who can deliver. Enough is enough. In recognising a changeover is not going to be a straightforward process I propose that initially SHDC reduces FCC's area of responsibility and introduce a more efficient organisation to take over the remaining area. One option is to approach Teignbridge District Council with a view to exploring a partnership with its in-house waste collection department. To start off with that partnership could take over responsibility for the waste collection in the eastern area of South Hams including T
The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to commit to resettling at least 20,000 Afghan refugees as well as creating an emergency Women and Girls Resettlement Scheme.
Local councillors are angered at yet another delay in the opening of the footpath between Harvington Road and Charford Road, after it was announced the path would not be open for school term time.
Not before time, Kent County Council are consulting on future use of a booking system for customers to access Household Waste Recycling Centres (such as Ross Way, Folkestone).
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!”
