Over the last 2 years a combination of Slough's Labour Council and the Tory Government and Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner have increased Slough's council tax bill by 8.6%.
The District Council elections are coming up on Thursday 2nd May. Here is our candidate Bolney:
The District Council elections are coming up on Thursday 2nd May. Here are our candidates for Hurstpierpoint & Downs:
Medway Liberal Democrats are calling on Medway Council to commit resources to improve all of the area's local town centres, not just Chatham. The Council's purchase of the Pentagon Shopping Centre, will give it the necessary leverage to kick start Chatham's regeneration. However, we need investment across the Medway area to support jobs, local public services and reinforce the sense of local community offered by our town centres. To do this, our town centres must be attractive, accessible and safe.
The Unison Disabled Members Officer, Newcastle Branch writes : I am sure you are aware of the proposal to introduce parking charges for Blue Badge Holders in Newcastle Council run car parks and I am emailing you to request your support in rejecting the proposal as this would have a detrimental impact on the lives of disabled people, our great City's reputation and the local economy as Blue Badge holders would travel to other places where parking is free. Residents of Newcastle and visitors to our great City, who are Blue Badge holders, rely on their Blue Badge to go to the doctors, go shopping or take part in leisure activities. Blue Badge holders do not regularly use public transport as it is can be dangerous or they cannot manage the extra walking. The proposal would exclude some of the most vulnerable from our great City. Could you please sign the following petition to scrap the proposal and please feel free to share:https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/scrap-disabled-parking-charges-in-newcastle
Do you want to leave the EU or revoke article 50 and remain? Online poll now at https://brexit-petitions-count.now.sh/
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!”
