LibDems say the Public Space Protection Order PSPO consultation fiasco is a series of 'leading' questions, presented by the Cabinet as "the opportunity to suggest any other persistent anti-social behaviour that could also be tackled through a PSPO in this area."
LibDems say the Public Space Protection Order PSPO consultation fiasco is a series of 'leading' questions, presented by the Cabinet as "the opportunity to suggest any other persistent anti-social behaviour that could also be tackled through a PSPO in this area."
It could be "impossible" for 70% of Wales and Border trains to meet new disability regulations by 2020, a report has warned. The assembly's petitions committee calls the timescale for meeting the target "extremely daunting".
AWARENESS of mental health problems has increased dramatically in recent years, partly due to high profile celebrities speaking out about their experiences, but also as a result of national and local campaigns to reduce the stigma. Recently however, there have been discussions around whether these campaigns are actually doing more harm than good.
Additional funding secured by the Lib Dems in the last coalition Budget - £1.25bn over five years - is not all being delivered. If governing was all about making the right noises, Theresa May would be an exceptional Prime Minister. For instance, she hit upon the crisis in social housing and promised action. We all applauded. And then found out that her actual response to this national emergency was to build 5,000 houses, dismissed by an independent expert as "chicken feed".
The recent Leicester City Council Full Meeting had angry reactions from Members as the Lord Mayor, who Chairs the Council Meetings initiated a 30 second ruling for backbench and opposition members for supplementary questions to City Mayor, Labour's Sir Peter Soulsby.
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!”
