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14 Nov 2021
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Changes to Grant Palmer bus timetables
Across the transport sector, bus, train and haulage companies are being affected by staff shortages, whilst Grant Palmer have worked hard to minimise the effect of staff shortages to customers.
14 Nov 2021
Statement from Liberal Democrat Councillors on NSDC Re Newark Green Space
As Liberal Democrat councillors on Newark and Sherwood District Council, we wish to express our great relief that agreement appears to have been reached today between the Council and Datch Properties, which avoids the felling of several mature trees and the tarmacking of green space next to Newark library and allows the area to continue to be enjoyed and used by local people. Being timed at the end of the CoP 26 conference, it is good to know that environmental considerations have won out over short-term financial difficulties. Many people from various political persuasions and many local people without political affiliation have contributed to the groundswell of opinion, which made this last-minute reprieve possible and everyone who has lobbied, commented and protested peacefully should be congratulated. Needless to say, we will both be voting to approve this deal at the forthcoming extraordinary full council meeting.
PB
13 Nov 2021
13 Nov 2021
Concerns raised about Rugby MP second salary
CITY A.M. have reported that Mark Pawsey the local Conservative MP for Rugby and Bulkington makes £30,000-a-year as chairman of a packaging lobby group but has spoken on multiple occasions in Parliament in favour of watering down environmental laws to favour plastic producers.
RLD
13 Nov 2021
Weekly Coronavirus figures for Bedford Borough published
The latest weekly Coronavirus snapshot for Bedford Borough has been published.
13 Nov 2021
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!”
