‘Claims not accurate’
A FEW weeks back, Rachel Maclean boasted of the amount of offshore wind farms the UK had, and its good we have these for green energy.
What she failed to mention was that the government owns only 0.03 per cent of these, used for experimental purposes.
Ironically we are boosting the economies of France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, China and Italy with almost half of the wind farms owned by the governments of these countries.
The rest are privately owned, with less than a fifth creating funds through English companies for our economy.
The government has generously given a grant of £160million to help these other countries benefit from their wind farms, and even increased the price they are allowed to charge us in November 2023 by 66 per cent, to £0.176 a KWh for floating wind farms and £0.075 for fixed.
Meanwhile, we who might want to put a solar panel on our roof to help reduce carbon emissions, are allowed a payment ‘above zero’ ie the electricity companies could choose to pay just £0.00001p per KWh if they so chose.
Not a great way to boost our economy.
We could, by now be producing half our own electricity from solar panels on our own roofs, plus factories and offices, but the government biased rules prevent this from happening because they only want large companies to benefit.
I suppose it even makes the new gas and oil drilling licences in marine protected areas that Sunak has just signed off more viable.
Our government has created an open money drain to foreign countries, and in doing so lost control of our energy costs which is damaging our economy even further.
I am frankly dumbstruck by their illogical behaviour.
Margot Bish
Abbeydale
‘Letter is incorrect’
I WOULD like to raise issue with the letter from last week which is factually incorrect.
If a councillor does defect within six months of an election, then a by-election cannot be called.
As such it would leave that area without a councillor for the remaining time.
I think it is brave for a councillor who believes a party has moved further from the values they hold to join another party which they feel have policies which are more akin to what they believe.
I have seen what Labour has to offer locally and nationally and to be honest I don’t believe them.
They seem to flip flop and say anything to win votes even putting up people who know nothing about what local people need.
Why put up someone who either is a paper candidate or someone who is only in it to promote themselves to become a parliamentary candidate?
What do locals gain from that? Nothing.
We need someone to speak for the residents and frankly I believe the councillor in question has done exactly that and will continue to do so.
Resident of Batchley
‘Pitiful attempts to claw back a few votes’
NATIONALLY the Conservatives are saying they will stop the boats – despite knowing their bill is unworkable and will never come to fruition.
Locally, the Conservatives are saying they will freeze council tax NEXT year – despite knowing that they will be in no position to deliver it when the time comes.
Both pitiful attempts to claw back a few votes in the upcoming elections.
Oliver Hale
Lodge Park
‘No empathy’
ONE of my favourite TV shows is The IT Crowd.
A particular favourite is the one where the emergency services phone number is changed from 999 to 0118 999 881 999 119 725-3.
Mos, who is blessed with an eidetic memory, sees no problem with this.
After all, he can remember it so everyone else should be able to as well. This staggering lack of empathy is played for laughs.
Not so funny is the same lack of empathy shown by our current council and even our MP.
Coun Court, in his letter last week, sees no issue with the rent rise of seven per cent as the people on benefits are getting a 6.7 per cent increase.
So they are only taking away all of that and a little bit more as well.
It reminds me of the time our MP told people to work more hours or get a better job to get more money if they are too poor to look after themselves.
If only people would stop being so poor they would be just fine.
We put these people in power despite their apparent lack of understanding of what it is to serve, not rule.
We have a chance in May to change the leadership of the council, and later in the year to change our government.
I hope people will remember incidents like this and do the best thing for everyone.
Vote for change.
Mark Harvey
Southcrest
‘Promises that don’t last’
THE LOCAL Tories are leafleting again. One of their latest publications flopped onto my mat this week.
I would like to make some observations on their latest consignment of ‘jam tomorrow’.
They have raised council tax 15 per cent since 2018. They also have plans to bail on the promise of a tax freeze for next year.
The council papers commit only to a freeze ‘unless circumstances change’.
Lets see how long that promise lasts.
Their investment promise sounds great but council finances will be increasingly based on borrowing. This will be funded by Redditch taxpayers.
On housing their fantasy forecasts need a reality check. At their current rate of construction they will build a further 22.8
Council houses by 2030. Bringing their total in office to a stunning 41.8. Not the hundreds they claim.
Redditch residents of course can make their own mind up .
However I would strongly urge them to look the Tory gift horse squarely on the mouth this May.
Councillor Ian Woodall
Labour
Headless Cross and Oakenshaw
EDITORS COMMENT
IT IS fantastic to be able to cover Alcester’s John Crawshaw who was labelled ‘thick’ at school has overcome dyslexia to become a published author.
Having never even read a novel before writing his first book, he is an absolute inspiration.
It also shows that whatever life throws at you, with enough dedication and determination, you can achieve what you want to accomplish.
We wish him well with both is first two books and his writing career.
We welcome your letters….
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