Because solar energy is an important part of trying to reduce greenhouse gases. If it’s standard, it gets cheaper to produce and costs go down.

Onshore wind energy is our most abundant and cost effective form of renewable energy, and until it was banned by the previous government it was our most successful. It remains highly popular with opinions polls (including the government’s own) showing almost three quarters of the public support it - this support has been consistent for the last 20 years. With energy bills in Britain generally regarded as being too high and our government proposing a cap to address the issue - it makes no sense to pay considerably more than we need to for new forms of green energy. Fighting climate change with green energy is essential, we should not make it more expensive than it needs to be. A recent report from the ECIU (Energy and Climate Change Intelligence Unit) estimates that we will pay over £1 billion more on our energy bills - over just the next four years - if we continue to exclude onshore wind energy. Onshore wind is an economic and environmental opportunity for Britain.

The Kirby Misperton Protection Camp (KMPC) has been invaluable in our community’s struggle against fracking, now we stand to protect it! The camp was set up last December after the community lost a high court appeal to prevent Third Energy from fracking on the edge of our village. The camp acts as a community hub, its a place where we can go and seek support, information and share ideas. It also hosts events such as family fun days, solidarity weekends, know your rights workshops, legal observer training and a retreat. The camp is also home to some of the newer members of our community and offers a place to stay for campaigners with bigger distances to travel. The fracking of the KM8 well is putting our villages directly in harms way, but we also recognise that we are on the frontline of England’s struggle against the fracking industry. Fracking in Kirby Misperton is a local issue of national importance. All protest involves a level of disruption, but neither we nor the camp support any kind of violent or abusive behavior. As local residents we are grateful to friends who have made the choice to live so sacrificially to join our struggle. As such we welcome KMPC and the support from protectors around the country.

Xplore are proposing two alternative routes to the 32/33 bus which would cut out Forfar Road. Their consultation highlights that the route could also stay as it is. You can see the proposed two route changes at this link http://nxbus.co.uk/files/NXDundee/misc/FintryRouteReview-PublicConsultationDocument.pdf This re-routing would severely restrict people's ability for travel: • make it harder for people with disabilities and older people with mobility problems to catch a bus and get out of the house, potentially leading to loneliness and social isolation • safety concerns of having to work through a scheme to get to/and from the bus • get to and from work • visit friends and relatives • access education and training • access to hospitals, doctors, dentists and other medical services • access to leisure activities including town and countryside locations Fewer buses on the road will mean more traffic congestion and delays which affects all of us.

The High Peak area is almost completely devoid of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Between Stalybridge and Sheffield there is a distance of over 30 miles without any publicly available chargers. Given the serious traffic congestion in the area you would expect the local authority to be doing all they can to promote alternative fuel sources to mitigate air pollution, noise and climate change. Electric vehicles will not solve congestion, but diesel and petrol engines are causing excessive and unnecessary harm as the government has recently indicated by targeting a ban on the sale of fossil fuel only cars by 2040. High Peak is currently not in a position to meet this target and risks lagging behind nearby areas. High Peak needs to take advantage of funding sources available for the cost of electric charging and show some leadership in the field - Greater Manchester has an extensive network of free to use charging points.

There are currently 7 primary schools Under the NYCC care in danger of closing. We have already lost 3. In an ideal world Ings would remain open, and the heart of the community however as this now seems futile I feel that there needs to be a full investigation into why we have got into this situation, and how we are going to prevent it happening again. I would also like it to be investigated why we are closing these schools yet allowing private developers to put in planning for two new schools in the area- both of which will be owned by an academy or free school, meaning they will no longer be under any of NYCC remit- a massive safeguarding issue

Oil based plastics & their role in waste pollution are undeniably one of the most prominent problems facing our planets ecology to date, it affects all of us and our future on this planet. While we and our industries now rely on them for various uses, we must ask ourselves whether the damage we are causing out weighs their necessity and also whether the financial costs of making the change are viable. I would hope every single person would quickly and clearly say that in the case of most plastics, the answer is *Yes*. So what can we do?.....There has been a solution and an alternative for a long time: bio-degradable plastics made from hemp cellulose. We aim to get legislation passed that all plastics where possible are replaced with 100% biodegradable plastics & the use of oil based plastics reduced to the most necessary of uses such as HDPE plastics for industrial purposes. This does not mean that we can just sit back and relax, the biodegradable plastics will still require diligent collection and the correct conditions to degrade. This change should be made along side methane capture projects to ensure the methane given off at all landfill is captured and used as an energy source and not just left to escape into the atmosphere. Whilst traditional plastics take a long time to decompose and release harmful toxins into the ground, hemp plastics do not. They do however release methane, which we must be vigilant of - but as stated above this also opens up possibilities in methane capture and re-useable energy. Increased recycling availability (especially near the coast) will be paramount, as will clear identification of biodegradable plastics but this small step will have a great impact for the planet we live on, as well as our future generations. On top of that the increased growth of hemp will have a substantial impact on reversing the effects of deforestation and open up a whole new industry for hemp use in 100's if not 1000's of applications, reducing our reliability on crude oil. Win Win Hemp was once our greatest and foremost industrial crop for thousands of years, it is only in the last few centuries that it has declined in the U.K. And USA especially, due to its affiliation with marijuana and outdated drug laws. Let's work together and make the world a better place 💚

The EU referendum represented a low point in post war UK democratic politics. Only now are problems coming to the fore that were not considered in the referendum and not debated at the time. Oeople did not know the consequences of them and Brexit impact reports are being unacceptably hidden from the people. This is unacceptable and we need a final decision when we know exactly what Brexit means and that means the full terms of an any deal.

A growing number of people in the UK are finding energy prices impossible to pay. Having a pre-payment meter allows tighter control of how much a low income family or individual spends on electricity and gas. Capping bills is not enough - energy companies have just hiked up their prices in preparation for capping. Lack of political will and reneging on election promises will put peoples' lives and well being at risk. Energy companies will continue to charge vulnerable families and individuals more for their gas and electricity than anyone paying on direct debit. The standing charge on prepayment meters is in the region of 28p per day, resulting in a yearly charge of around £200 before any fuel has been purchased. This is a huge burden for low income families. Prepayment meters do not need any more attention or attendance by meter readers than credit meters - in fact, less work is generated by having a prepayment meter - the bill has been paid in advance - no-one is having to generate a bill with the associated postage costs, or chase up unpaid or late bills. Energy companies continue to charge punitive tariffs on prepayment meters - always the highest tariff they charge. They are charging the people least able to pay the highest tariffs, knowing they have a captive audience of customers unable or unwilling to access credit meters for a variety of reasons. Bearing in mind that prepayment meters mean exactly that - you buy your energy in advance - this must be the only industry where the customers are charged more for buying in advance. This is not only unfair it is morally wrong. As winter approaches, people who are "just about managing", the elderly, families with children, people living with chronic diseases and long term health problems, and those recovering from cancer, are dreading the weather getting colder, presenting them with the dilemma of whether to top up the meter or eat properly. Please protect the most vulnerable people in this country from the greed of the energy companies.

Why is this important? fracking in North Yorkshire could: pose a risk to health contaminate water hit house prices increase traffic in nearby communities and make it harder to meet climate targets NYCC ignored the will of the people. It is vital we overturn their decision and ban fracking to protect North Yorkshire’s people and environment from a dangerous form of energy extraction.

Fracking has been proved to be destructive to the environment and to peoples health. Instead of promoting the use of this filthy and dangerous process ,the GMB should be campaigning to further increase the use of renewable energy sources which will result in the creation of many jobs, including for their own membership. The 21st Century demands a proper response to the issue of rampant climate change and this response would be enhanced with the support of all of the major trades unions.

Unconventional oil and gas extraction (“fracking”) will have an impact on our countryside, climate and local communities. It uses vast quantities of fresh water and chemicals and, as we have seen in America and Australia, this type of extraction has a detrimental impact on our natural resources, the environment, health, noise and air pollution, traffic and local communities. Fracking has also been known to cause earthquakes. The people of Sefton do not want this type of extraction taking place in any part of the borough.