Carers Celebrate Shared Lives With a Virtual Afternoon Tea
The Shared Lives Bedford team would like to say a big thank you to all our inspirational carers who open up their homes to support young people and adults who have support needs.
14 Jun 2021
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Counter-Productive Cuts to our Justice System could Lose Lives and Damage Society
Cuts to services that are designed to reduce or mitigate problems inevitably end up costing society more, whether or not management are hitting their targets. Seven years of Conservative meddling in the Probation Service could cost us more than just money. The Ministry of Justice has been in the news recently because of the murders at a conference about re-offending which took place about a year ago. The right-wing were as usual quick to discredit the whole concept of re-habilitation of offenders. They saw the conference as evidence of failure. A failure it certainly was, and a tragedy for two individuals and their families and friends. Mistakes were obviously made in the assessment of the murderer, a convicted terrorist who had been approved for an early release. But the fact that that two freed former convicts present at the conference tackled the assailant is also a sign of success for the process of rehabilitation. Prison without attempts at effective rehabilitation is simply a waste o
13 Jun 2021
Counter-Productive Cuts to our Justice System could Lose Lives and Damage Society
Cuts to services that are designed to reduce or mitigate problems inevitably end up costing society more, whether or not management are hitting their targets. Seven years of Conservative meddling in the Probation Service could cost us more than just money. The Ministry of Justice has been in the news recently because of the murders at a conference about re-offending which took place about a year ago. The right-wing were as usual quick to discredit the whole concept of re-habilitation of offenders. They saw the conference as evidence of failure. A failure it certainly was, and a tragedy for two individuals and their families and friends. Mistakes were obviously made in the assessment of the murderer, a convicted terrorist who had been approved for an early release. But the fact that that two freed former convicts present at the conference tackled the assailant is also a sign of success for the process of rehabilitation. Prison without attempts at effective rehabilitation is simply a waste o
13 Jun 2021
Hereditary peers have no place in Parliament
Back in 1999 the House of Lords was reorganised but not to be an elected chamber. Instead there are 92 hereditary peers, a couple of dozen 'Lords Spiritual and Temporal' (mainly C of E bishops) and filled up with any number of political appointments. It's a ridiculous composition but the fact that in 2021, hereditary aristocrats still have a place in our parliament is beyond baffling.
BL
13 Jun 2021
Former Councillor Fred Lawton 13/06/1942 -19/05/2021 RIP
Former Councillor Fred Lawton 13/06/1942 -19/05/2021 RIP
13 Jun 2021
Lib Dems are calling for Medway to have cleaner air on National Clean Air Day - 17th June
The World Health Organisation recognise that air pollution is the largest environmental health risk we face today. It causes heart and lung diseases, is linked to low birth weight and children's lung development and may even contribute to mental health issues. Every year, air pollution causes up to 36,000 deaths in the UK.
13 Jun 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!”
