Liberal Democrat Leader and former Energy Secretary Ed Davey has called for a windfall tax on gas producers profiting from record high prices, to help pay for support to struggling households and businesses this winter.
Gas prices have risen from 56p/therm during the first half of the year to 150p/therm and are now reaching 300p/therm. Over the past five years natural gas prices had never reached 100p/therm. Serica Energy, a North Sea gas company responsible for 5% of the UK supply, have already stated they expect "significant returns" due to the increase. Share prices in Sercia have surged from 156p per share at the end of August, to 232p on Wednesday.
Responding to the government's announcement on funding for 'family hubs' for early years, the new Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Munira Wilson MP said:
"Investment in family hubs is welcome, but this is a drop in the ocean compared to what's needed for early years and childcare.
"Families around the country are struggling to afford childcare costs or get a nursery place. They deserve a fair deal with quality childcare provision for all, giving children the best start in life and parents more choice about when to return to work.
The Special Conference on the 20th October agreed a new constitution that gives every member the right to attend, speak at and vote at the regional conference. And to vote for the new Regional Executive. There are two ways you could get involved:
Sign up now - FREE - for the Regional Conference on the 20th November.
I get (and reply to!) a lot of email each week, and some is easier to deal with than others.
This morning I received an email about fireworks from a local resident generated from an RSPCA campaign. The email said:
Dear Councillor,
I am writing to you as I am an extremely concerned resident in your council area. My concern is about the misuse of fireworks and their impact on animals. According to a recent poll 52% of UK Adults will be having displays at home with friends and family, a 23% increase on 2019 polling results.
"These changes are a sticking plaster which won't address the GP shortage crisis that is leaving patients struggling to get appointments.
"The Conservatives have already missed their own targets to recruit and train more GPs. Now they are coming up with plans to name and shame GPs, which risks driving even more doctors away from the profession.
The Government has missed its 2020 fuel poverty targets and is already at "high risk" of failing to meet its goals for 2025, a report by the Committee on Fuel Poverty has found.
Commenting on the findings, Liberal Democrat Leader and former Energy Secretary Ed Davey MP said:
"The Conservatives are failing millions of hard working families and leaving them in fuel poverty at a time when energy bills are rocketing.
Article on the front page of today's Folkestone and Hythe Express on bin collections being discussed at last week's Folkestone & Hythe District Full Council Meeting. It quotes Cabinet Member for Waste Stuart Peall responding to a question from Councillor Jackie Meade on bin collection problems saying:
97% of households across England and Wales responded to Census 2021 to ensure they count when it comes to local services - and almost 90% of them did so online.
Initial findings out today show online take up of the first digital-first census far exceeded expectations, with more than 22 million responses submitted using the web questionnaire.
