Annual forestry works are taking place this week in Whippendell Woods. The work includes tree thinning in the area highlighted in yellow on the right-hand side of the map. The contractors will also do some path widening from the Rousebarn Lane car park to the corner of the wood by Jacotts Nursery end, shown in yellow on left-hand side of the map.
Residents gathered at the Peace Memorial on the morning of 24th February to mark the passing of one year since Russia began their brutal invasion of Ukranian territory. Luther Blissett and Deputy Mayor Aga Dychton marked this tragic anniversary with one minute's silence and then raised the Ukrainian flag. They were joined by many members of the Ukrainian community, who have made Watford their home, as well as representatives from Watford Council.
A local charity is set to host a quiz night in a bid to raise funds to offer counselling support to vulnerable women in the city.
Your local Lib Dem councillors are passionate about the local environment and once again this year have arranged for several street trees to be planted in various spots around Woodside. Horseshoe Lane, Ganders Ash, Newhouse Crescent, Cobb Green and three trees along the High Road were this years chosen locations.
After finding a local salt bin flooded, full of litter and with no salt in it the local Woodside Councillors quickly had the bin cleared, cleaned and refilled ready for any further cold snaps and for next winter. Tim Williams and Richard Wenham inspected the salt bin while out calling on residents last Saturday morning.
Local Lib Dem Councillors are joining growing calls to urgently review the changes to the number 6 bus timetable.
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!”
