Last week Lib Dem MPs and I spoke out against the Conservative Government who, including Guildford and Cranleigh's own MP, voted through a 1.25% National Insurance tax hike for individuals and employers. Today I want to share an update to this sorry saga with you.
Nearly 7,000 families here in Hinckley and Bosworth will be hit by the government's removal of the Universal Credit uplift on October the 6th.
Young Zane, aged just 7 years old, lost his life as a result of inhaling toxic fumes at the family home during heavy flooding...
Anglian Water is carrying out essential mains strengthening works in Oakley Road, Bromham to ensure the pipes continue to supply water to the surrounding areas. This work is expected to be complete by 22 October.
The Government's decision to suspend controversial planning reforms, which would have seen a presumption in favour of housebuilding in so-called housing growth areas like the north-west of Newcastle, and the removal of the right of objection to planning applications in such areas, is welcome says Cllr Greg Stone for the Liberal Democrats Opposition in the City. However, he's uncomfortable with the City Cabinet Member for Development's selective interpretation of Newcastle City Council's recent record on housing development on greenfield sites and his attempt to pose as a champion of local communities in resisting over-development in Newcastle, as reported in the Evening Chronicle. The Conservative Government set Newcastle a target of 28,000 new homes over the next twenty years, and the Planning White Paper would have sought to increase that. According to the Government, Newcastle should be delivering around 1400 new homes a year. This is significantly greater than the city council's Local Plan's identified
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on the Welsh Government to provide clarity on any contingency plans they have in place to deal with rapidly rising gas prices, citing the concern that many families could be pushed into fuel poverty as winter approaches. . .
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!”
