Lib Dems write to chief executive of J Sainsbury PLC about Gloucester store's future
The Liberal Democrats have written to the chief executive of Sainsbury's PLC about the proposed closure of its Northgate Street...
14 Sep 2020
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Councillor Nigel Porter comments on the opening of the Draft Local Plan for Leicester.
As the Draft Local Plan for Leicester opened today, Opposition Party leader, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Aylestone Ward, Cllr Nigel Porter had this to say: It's unfair and unreasonable to carry out this major public consultation when we're probably on the verge of another major public health crisis. The council are now starting a major public consultation when the BMA has stated that over 80% of doctors think we're on the verge of a second peak in coronavirus infections and new measures are coming into force placing restrictions on people gathering. The local plan could see significant changes in the city and will affect everybody. So it's important people are properly able to engage in any major public consultation process and are able to fully understand what plans are being put forward so they are in a position to properly object. The council has too much control over people's lives already and conducting a major consultation when a large number of people will be unable to properly participate is c
CNPAW
14 Sep 2020
Leicester City Council Draft Local Plan Consultation now open. Closes 14th December
The delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Draft Local Plan for Leicester has opened today for a 3 month period, closing on December 14th. Details of the Consultation Process can be found in the link below:
LLD
14 Sep 2020
MP fights for those who have been excluded from Government support for 6 months in Parliament
On the floor of the House of Commons this afternoon, South Lakes MP Tim Farron urged ministers to support a compensation package for the three million workers who have been excluded from the Government's COVID-19 financial support schemes.
14 Sep 2020
MP welcomes plans for Furness Line electrification and lobbies for the Lakes Line not to be overlooked
Local MP and Chair of the Cumbria Better Connected rail group, Tim Farron has welcomed plans drawn up by Network Rail to electrify the Furness Line as part of their environmental push to remove all diesel trains off the rail network by 2040.
14 Sep 2020
West Lothian
Spaces for people - still waiting for action?
When the Spaces for People fund was announced with much fanfare in April of this year, I felt it was a small silver lining to the...
14 Sep 2020
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!”
