Veteran Lib Dem Group Leader set to retire
Cllr Douglas McCall will retire after 25 years service on the Council this May. Councillor Douglas McCall, Leader of the...
DMC
22 Mar 2021
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Lib Dems are Clear, "NHS Staff should get the Pay Rise they Deserve"
NHS Staff should get the Pay Rise they Deserve he Liberal Democrats passed a motion today backing a pay rise for NHS staff, recognising the huge effort made by NHS workers during the pandemic. By Munira Wilson, Mar 21, 2021 10:03
21 Mar 2021
Lib Dems are Clear, "NHS Staff should get the Pay Rise they Deserve"
NHS Staff should get the Pay Rise they Deserve he Liberal Democrats passed a motion today backing a pay rise for NHS staff, recognising the huge effort made by NHS workers during the pandemic. By Munira Wilson, Mar 21, 2021 10:03
21 Mar 2021
Ingrave Road 16-Pothole Nightmare
County Councillor David Kendall and Lib Dem campaigner Brenner Munden are demanding that Essex County Council (ECC) takes immediate action to inspect and repair the sixteen potholes on the section of the Ingrave Road, Brentwood, between Orchard Avenue and The Avenue. The section of road has had a number of potholes repaired in the past but none of the repairs have lasted for long and it is once again a sea of defects. David has written to the Conservative Cabinet Member for Highways Cllr Kevin Bentley asking for a review of the materials used to repair potholes and the criteria for repairs. He has also asked if the section of road can be resurfaced. David said: This whole section of the Ingrave Road desperately needs resurfacing because the pothole repairs just aren't up to the job. In the past ECC has said it is making temporary repairs and then doing a full repair later. I say if you going to repair a pothole do it properly the first time and provide residents with the quality of service they have a right t
21 Mar 2021
Liberal Democrats say, "Here’s how we help young people!"
Here's how we help young people We need a bold plan for students and young people in England. By Daisy Cooper, Mar 21, 2021 4:03
21 Mar 2021
Liberal Democrats say, "Here’s how we help young people!"
Here's how we help young people We need a bold plan for students and young people in England. By Daisy Cooper, Mar 21, 2021 4:03
21 Mar 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!”
