8 Dec 2021
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Woking’s MP needs to take action on Number 10 Christmas party
After seeing the ITV video which shows Downing Street staff laughing last year about a Christmas party, Lib Dem Councillor Will Forster has called on Woking's MP asking him to condemn Boris Johnson's behaviour and apologise on behalf of their party. Lib Dem Spokesperson for Woking, Councillor Will Forster, said: "Boris Johnson's Conservative party is taking this country for fools. People in this area will see right through his poor excuses and evasive answers. I hope Jonathan Lord condemns this." "People in Woking spent their Christmas away from loved ones, and sadly too many, lost family and friends to this awful virus. At a time of great sacrifice when the pandemic was at it's worst, it is disgraceful to think that people in Downing Street were laughing about holding a Christmas party." "I think enough is enough. This Government must be held accountable to an inquiry into all their rule breaking; from Barnard Castle to this latest episode. It cannot be one rule for them and another for the rest of us."
8 Dec 2021
Desna Allen elected Council Leader
In its meeting on November 24th Chippenham Town Council has elected former Mayor Desna Allen (LibDem) to be Leader of the Council. For the Sheldon ward councillor this will be the fourth time she has been elected Leader of the Council in addition to two terms as Mayor.
8 Dec 2021
Brighton Hill Retail Park - redevelopment proposals
You can view the latest plans by Equation Properties for its proposed redevelopment of Brighton Hill Retail Park here.
8 Dec 2021
Rushmoor Conservation area review
Rushmoor council is undertaking a review of some conservation areas in Rushmoor. You can submit your views by emailing planningpolicy@rushmoor.gov.uk by 13th Dec 2021. go to https://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/conservationreviews to view the various documents.
LC
7 Dec 2021
"Every child deserves to be safe and celebrated" say leading Cabinet Members, as they mark the Day of Hope
Leading Cabinet Members are remembering Damilola Taylor, on what would have been his 31st birthday, and are encouraging everyone to support the young people in their lives.
7 Dec 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!”
