It's Time to Unmask Violence Against Women for what it really is - Violence by Men 99% of gender-based violence is committed by men. So why are they often absent from the conversation? Sarah Everard's murder has spotlighted the prevalence of violence by men - and women have had enough. By Wera Hobhouse, Mar 23, 2021 5:03
Lib Dem County Councillor David Kendall is demanding Essex Highways takes urgent action to improve the safety of the pedestrian crossing on Queens Road, Brentwood outside St Thomas's Court. He has asked for: The black bag to be removed on the one flashing orange beacon The crossing road markings to be repainted New signage to warn motorists that they are approaching a pedestrian crossing Another flashing orange beacon to be installed on the pub side The overhead lighting for the pedestrian crossing to be reviewed David said: "Many elderly residents use the crossing on a daily basis and are concerned about crossing such a fast busy road. It is vital that every aspect of the crossing is up to scratch to ensure these and other residents can cross as safely as possible. The actions I have requested will certainly improve the situation but I also want to see a "road safety audit" undertaken on the crossing to ensure that no other potential safety measures have been missed".
Councillor Robert Mee is a local man, having lived in West Hallam for 37 years (and before that he was only from Heanor!). He is a retired Police Inspector, having served in various postings around Derbyshire and on secondment to the Home Office. He is passionate about local history, a subject in which he now holds an M.A. He gives regular talks (and has even mastered doing them on Zoom!), And he's written a couple of books on Heanor's history. He also loves the open countryside, and is keen walker and geocacher. But Robert also holds strong views on local democracy and on environmental issues, and it is these which brought him into
BOXMOOR VILLAGE TRAFFIC STRATEGY
BOXMOOR VILLAGE TRAFFIC STRATEGY
Over recent months, Cllr Pauline Allen and the Parklands Focus Team have been working with local residents to press the Council to replace trees on Hollywood Avenue in Gosforth Garden Village as well as other locations.
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!”
