Today's Headlines
Empty pharma stockpiles show govt must rethink transition extension
DS
8 Jun 2020
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Fifty Years of paid Focus
This year marks 50 years since the party first published a circular entirely funded by advertising. Focus is a well-established and integral part of Liberal Democrat activity, but the prototype was called AD-LIB: AD for the adverts and LIB for the party publishing it. In the spring of 1970, Martin Kyrle was Agent in Chandler's Ford in Eastleigh, where for the first time the Liberals were seriously challenging for a council seat. He wanted to campaign outside the customary month prior to the local elections, but how could this be funded? Here's how. Martin received the President's award at the Brighton conference in 2018.
8 Jun 2020
Today's Headlines
Empty pharma stockpiles show govt must rethink transition extension
DS
8 Jun 2020
Support our farmers! Help protect UK farming, animal welfare standards & the environment
Devon and Cornwall Liberal Democrats have launched a petition urging the UK Government not to give in to pressure from Donald...
8 Jun 2020
Local Organisations Say Thank You During Volunteers Week - A Round-Up
Volunteers Week concluded yesterday, Sunday 7th June, and across the week groups and organisations in Bedford Borough gave well deserved recognition to local volunteers and shined a light on their fantastic efforts in our communities.
8 Jun 2020
Dacorum BC Tried, and Failed, to Turn Common Land in Bovingdon into a Car Park
You might expect a local council to try to conserve what remains of Britain's common land. Unfortunately Dacorum Borough Council (DBC) decided last October to sacrifice a broad strip of an amenity green in Bovingdon High Street to the needs of the motor car. They were proposing to develop 140 square metres as 6 hard surfaced, car parking bays. However it turned out also to be a remnant of common land. This meant that DBC was required, under Section 38 of the Commons Act 2006, to apply for consent from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Natural England (an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the DEFRA), a number of local people and the Open Spaces Society objected. The grounds for objection were that the use of a common for car-parking was inconsistent with its enjoyment by the public, as the bays would reduce the area for public recreation and would have an urbanising effect. The Inspector appointed to decide on the issue rejected the application saying
8 Jun 2020
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!”
