In the Mud
The Pat h at the top of Lowes Wong School linking to Hillside Drive is a popular route for taking children to school. In winter though, it becomes a muddy quagmire.
PS
19 Jun 2018
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Flood Update
How Much Protection will we get?
CW
19 Jun 2018
Essex Education Services to be privatised – review blocked
Essex Education Services (EES) will now be sold to the private sector, following a vote at Essex County Council (ECC). At the People and Families Scrutiny Committee, a call by the Liberal Democrats to postpone the sale was rejected by 7 votes to 4. . The hope had been that the decision was referred back to the Cabinet Member for further consideration, but even this minimal requirement was rejected. . Cllr John Baker (Lib Dem, Colchester) instigated the 'Call-In' and made a robust case for keeping the service in house. He expressed grave concerns at the loss of democratic accountability if the service is sold. . Cllr Baker said, "Selling EES to a private company will undermine democratic accountability over the education service in Essex and will not be in the best interests of the children and families it is meant to serve." . Cllr Jude Deakin (Lib Dem, Chelmsford) supported the Call-In and made the point that EES made a large surplus of some £4 Million per year, to help Essex taxpayers, which would be lost i
19 Jun 2018
19 Jun 2018
Tories offer inadequate sticking plaster for the NHS
Bedford Borough Health spokesperson Councillor Wendy Rider has branded the Tory Government's NHS spending plans as an "inadequate sticking plaster".
19 Jun 2018
HERTS LIB DEMS BACK COUNTY COUNCIL FIGHT AGAINST HOSTILE TAKEOVER OF FIRE SERVICE
Police & Crime Commissioner's proposal would strip assets and close fire stations
19 Jun 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!”
