A recent Guardian article titled 'Disabled woman evicted before Christmas…for highlighting the damp' has exposed issues in the way that Landlords are able to evict tenants, and the suffering that this can cause those who are most vulnerable.
As Tonbridge & Malling's final Local Plan consultation drew to a close, new proposals emerged from Liberty Property Trust for development of 6 new sites. Four of these are within the Kings Hill built-up area; the other two are in East Malling on the new area of Green Belt proposed in the Local Plan. These sites had not been considered as part of the Local Plan, although we understand Liberty will be promoting them at the Public Examination, and at the same time will be submitting planning applications (probably before Christmas). The East Malling developments would result in a loss of green space in the open countryside.
Mayor Dave Hodgson has thanked the firefighters who tackled the large fire at the Shires House building on the former north wing hospital site in Bedford.
South Lakes MP Tim Farron joined local councillors on Stricklandgate in Kendal this lunchtime to gather signatures for the petition to save Kendal Post Office.
Anita and Tim are organising another hot Litter Pick for Larkfield! It will be starting at 10.30am from Church Farm Hall, ANew Hythe Lane. Come and collect your tabards, gloves, bags and litter pickers from the hall. It is amazing the ground you can cover and the number of sacks of litter you can pick up in just an hour and a half. Return to the hall for home madehot soup and sandwiches. May be cancelled if very icy. See Larkfield Matters on the day.
A returnable £5 deposit scheme is being introduced for people wanting to use the tennis courts by Birkenhead Park.
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!”
