Bromborough By-Election: Missing - Labour Candidate?
The Bromborough By-Election is just weeks away. Serious questions need to be asked about whether the Labour party is taking Bromborough voters for granted.
25 Jul 2018
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
'Suspend city council office move' say Liberal Democrats
Gloucester City Council should suspend its planned move of its offices to Shire Hall, say the Lib Dems. The current plan is for the city council to be based on the fifth floor at Shire Hall from 1st April 2019. Shire Hall is the headquarters of the county council.
25 Jul 2018
Local Lib Dem councillor gains cross-party support for Cumbrian micro-franchise following Northern rail chaos
A local Lib Dem councillor in Kendal has gained cross-party support for a Cumbrian micro rail franchise.
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Award-Winning Parks in Bedford Borough
Bedford Borough parks have again been awarded Green Flags this year, with Priory Country Park receiving this award for the 17th year in a row!
25 Jul 2018
Appeal launched over Clearwater Drive planning refusal
An appeal has been launched against the refusal by councillors for planning permission to build a primary school on open space at Clearwater Drive in Quedgeley. Councillors on Gloucester City Council planning committee rejected the application last year after a campaign by local residents and supported by the Liberal Democrats. The Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust had applied to build a new school on the field, which is popular with dog walkers. It would provide a new home for Clearwater Church of England Academy, which is currently using temporary accommodation at Hardwicke Parochial Primary School. Under the plans there would have been enough space for 420 pupils from reception year upwards. The Liberal Democrats have long argued the land should be retained as open space and the new school built at Kingsway where new homes are being built. Local residents were also concerned about traffic problems if the school was to be built at Clearwater Drive. The Education and Skills Funding Agency has now lodged
25 Jul 2018
Support needed for Armed Forces community – Cllr Tim Douglas
Councillor Tim Douglas who represents the Liberal Democrats in Paddox Ward has raised the issue of the Royal British Legion's 'Count Them In' campaign to provide more information and support to our Armed Forces personnel.
RLD
24 Jul 2018
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!”
