Residents from all over Uttlesford gathered at Fairycroft House in Saffron Walden on Friday evening, to hear Lucy Nethsingha MEP talk about the European Parliament. Lucy, from Cambridge, is one of the two Liberal Democrat MEPs elected for the East of England in May.
The "March for Change" in London on Saturday, 20th July, was not as big as some others, it being holiday season and short notice, but it was more enjoyable, with more room for people to walk easily, and even dance down the street.
The ITV football commentator, Clive Tyldesley compered a People's Vote 'Let Us Be Heard' rally on Tuesday at the Great Hall of Birmingham University.
Planning Application 19/01513/FULL Construction of 50 bedroom hotel. | S G Autopoint
Its summertime and bushes are growing, but the city council's streetcare contractor seems to be asleep.
In his July column for the Bedford Indpendent, published earlier this month, Mayor Dave Hodgson wrote about the disruption caused by Network Rail's closure of Bromham Road Bridge. Mayor Dave writes that the works, which will be followed by a rail service downgrade due to the Government's decision that intercity trains should not stop in Bedford, contrast with the Council's congestion-busting scheme for Britannia Road, which is causing disruption but will at least be followed by clear improvements for local road users.
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!”
