Liberal Democrats have called for an early end of the council's streetcare contract with Amey PLC. The 15-year contract is due to end on 31st March 2022 and is valued at £5.7m per year.
The city council is being flooded with objections from local residents to Redrow's plan to build 89 houses on the former Civil Service Club ground.
In the Summer we told you about the improvements being planned for Abbeymead Avenue with the aim of reducing queues and delays on the Abbeymead Avenue - Metz Way "route corridor". Although the project will bring safety improvements for pedestrians crossing to and from The Oaks this work is not scheduled to be completed until Summer of 2017 and we need action now! County Councillor David Brown said, "in addition to arranging for the phasing of the traffic lights to be re-checked at this junction I have continued to demand safety improvements are brought by Gloucestershire Highways as soon as possible. The Highways Manager has now put together plans to install a yellow box to bring about improvements."
As more and more people have access to a mobile phone it is not surprising that BT are finding that the public "payphone kiosks" are being used less and less. In a review of these kiosks across Gloucester BT have identified one in Hucclecote that has had very little use, with just 43 calls in a 12 month period. Anyone using the kiosk at the junction of Churchdown Lane and Hucclecote Road may have noticed the sign asking for views on what should be done with it. Some may want the kiosk to stay, others may suggest it should be taken away but there is another option. Cllr David Brown told Spotlight, "in some areas the local community has put forward innovative suggestions for these kiosks, adopting them to be used as cafes, mini-shops, and shoe-shine stands! Not necessarily suitable here but it shows the range of possibilities. "I am currently investigating the suitability of this kiosk to house a defibrillator if there is local support and the funding is available. If you have alternative suggestions, or perhap
Responding to analysis from the LGA that concluded 1 in 25 children in England aged 10 or 11 are severely obese, Bedford Borough Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Councillor Wendy Rider said "This analysis should sound an alarm bell. Healthy eating and lifestyle choices start in childhood, but too many children are starting down the wrong path."
As part of the Community Grant Budget a "Members' Community Fund" has been provided by the city council.
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!”
