There have been two accidents recently at the bend at the western end of Clare Lane near Winterfield Lane, increasing our concern regarding the safety of pedestrians as well as vehicle users at this location. Pedestrians trying to get to West Malling station, to the town, or to access the bus stop at Couch Green must walk in the road around a bend where visibility is very poor. Negotiating the junction at Winterfield Lane is particularly difficult.
The Borough Council's final draft Local Plan has now been published for consultation. Catchily entitled 'Regulation 19 Pre-Submission September 2018', it can be viewed during office hours at the Borough's Kings Hill Office at Gibson Drive; local libraries including Martin Square; and at the Parish Council Office at Church Farm, New Hythe Lane. It can also be viewed online by visiting:
We have been on Facebook and Twitter as 'East Malling Matters' since 2015 and have used these pages to keep residents informed about local issues. It gives us the chance to communicate with you and for you to see what we are doing on your behalf. More recently we have launched our website and Youtube channel.
Local MP Tim Farron says the Health Secretary has added insult to injury by refusing to rule out making further cuts to Cumbria's already underfunded public health budget.
Wiltshire Council has published its annual review of the Highways Service. (In Environment Committee agenda item 6). The good news is that road casualties decreased in 2017/18 financial year. The other good news is that although the number of potholes shot up, this was of course caused by an increase in the amount of weather, and not by WC neglect.
Our regional executive elections are taking place following the Annual General Meeting in Lancaster on October 13th.
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!”
