Russia and Facebook on the menu as MP visits John Ruskin school debating club
South Lakes MP Tim Farron was quizzed on a range of topics as he visited John Ruskin school's lunchtime debating club in Coniston.
27 Mar 2018
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Renewed dumping in Woodchurch Road alley
For the second time in a few months Oxton campaigner Allan Brame has had to report dumping of refuse in the entry behind the Woodchurch Road shops next to Sainsbury's car park.
AB
27 Mar 2018
Labour cannot be trusted on rough sleeping in Birmingham
Responding to a pledge from that a Labour-run Birmingham City Council will end rough-sleeping, Ladywood Liberal Democrat Council candidates Lee Dargue and Stephen Lambert hit back, releasing data from an FOI request showing that the problem is growing, not reducing under Labour.
27 Mar 2018
Spring Focus for Oxley Ward
Oxley Focus Team has started to deliver their Spring Focus across the Ward.
BL
27 Mar 2018
Youth and Play Grants open for applications
Youth and Play Grants from Rugby Borough Council are now open for applications and Rugby Liberal Democrats are encouraging community groups to apply. In the past the Grants have funded projects that buy play area equipment such as goal posts and swings. They have also been used to train up personnel and help with start-up costs for youth clubs and play groups.
RLD
26 Mar 2018
Hybrid buses shifted from North East to Leeds - will pollution here increase?
Arriva admits it has taken 10 hybrid buses out of the North East to be used in Leeds (to avoid £100 fines??) instead but insists it has replaced them with other low-polluting models - but only Euro level 5 rather than level 6 like Sapphire buses running on some of our roads. Full story here https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/arriva-deny-north-east-air-14456535
26 Mar 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!”
