Published in blog on 17th November, 2011.
At the May election Bridge Labour promised to be green by working with local community organisations to reduce our carbon footprint and combat fuel poverty. Now, over fifty Bridge ward homes have been fitted with solar panels, which will lower their energy bills and help to tackle climate change. Will the cost of living increasing, we believe this will help local residents keep costs down.
The solar panels were offered to tenants of Nottingham City Homes with suitable roofs. They are not paid for by the taxpayer, but rather from the account which pays for Council housing.
Unfortunately, the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition Government has introduced changes which will make solar panels more expensive. Householders who fit solar panels after December 2011 will receive around 50% less money for the power they generate. The Government has also stood back and watched the six big energy companies increase their profit margins eightfold while cutting help for pensioners this winter.
Labour continue to fight for a fairer deal on energy prices for the people of Britain and to expose the devastating impact of the Government’s attack on renewable energy. The Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition's cuts in Feed-in Tariffs (introduced by Labour) will hit families who are trying to tackle their energy bills, put thousands of jobs at risk and damage the solar industry. Labour began this growth industry, while creating thousands of jobs and giving families more control over their electricity bills, but the policies of this Government have all but killed it in its infancy leaving thousands of skilled workers at risk of losing their jobs and excluding nearly nine out of ten families from having solar power.