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The biggest piece of energy legislation in the UK’s history has become law today (Thursday 26 October), laying the foundations for an energy system fit for the future.
The Energy Act 2023 has received Royal Assent and will transform the UK’s energy system by strengthening energy security, supporting the delivery of net zero and ensuring household bills are affordable in the long-term. The Act will deliver a more efficient energy system in the long-term, helping to keep energy costs low. It will do this by increasing competition in Great Britain’s onshore electricity networks, through a new tender process – reducing costs for network operation and development. This new model is expected to save consumers up to £1 billion off their energy bills by 2050. A specific merger regime for energy networks will also be created under the Competition and Markets Authority. This will minimise the risk of mergers between energy network companies having detrimental effects on consumers and is estimated to save households up to £420 million over the next decade. There are also new measures for Energy Smart Appliances to prioritise safety and give consumers the confidence to transition to smart products, helping them to manage their energy consumption and reduce their bills. A smart electricity system could reduce system costs by up to £10 billion a year by 2050. The government is expanding Ofgem’s remit to heat networks, allowing the regulator to set rules on excessive pricing and improve the quality of service for the half a million heat network consumers across the country. The Act includes new consumer protections and frameworks, incentivising the heating industry to invest in low-carbon heat pumps, and including powers to deliver the smart meter rollout by 2028 – which could generate total bill savings to households of £5.6 billion. The Act will help the government deliver net zero by 2050 in a pragmatic, proportionate and realistic way. It updates Ofgem’s remit so that it considers net zero targets as part of its everyday decisions and facilitates the first large village hydrogen heating trial – providing crucial evidence on the technology’s role in decarbonising heat. The government is also introducing a licensing framework for CO2 transport and storage to help deliver the UK’s first carbon capture sites – supporting up to 50,000 jobs by 2030. These new laws also make the UK the first country to legislate for fusion regulation, enabling developers to plan with confidence and encourage investment into this flourishing technology, and driving the UK’s ambition for a prototype fusion power plant by 2040. Establishing a new independent body – the Future System Operator – will ensure consumers can access a secure and decarbonised energy supply, key to enhancing the country’s energy security. The FSO will be responsible for systems in the gas and electricity network developing efficiently and keeping consumer bills low.
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Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has recently completed the development of 11 brand new affordable properties on land between Cheshire Drive and Wilkinson Drive in Bournemouth.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has recently completed the development of 11 brand new affordable properties on land between Cheshire Drive and Wilkinson Drive in Bournemouth. The development will provide homes for local families and consists of a block of nine two-bedroom flats and two three-bedroom houses. The properties themselves are built to the highest eco-standards using fabric first principles, which prioritise the energy efficiency of a property from its conception, to create an airtight, insulated building that reduces the amount of energy required to heat the home. The buildings are all fitted with triple glazing and solar panels, and the energy for each property is provided from a renewable source by ground source heat pumps. This means greater energy efficiency and lower bills for the tenants. The development also boasts ample parking on site and a communal garden for the flats. Families in the houses will also enjoy their own private garden. Tenants will begin to move in and make these new properties their homes early in November.
Colourful posters spreading an environmental message were created by youngsters as part of a competition in Wimborne.
Schoolchildren were encouraged to create pieces about the environmental crisis as part of the contest, run as part of the Plant Wimborne Green Festival. And their creativity and concern for the environment was demonstrated through a raft of colourful, engaging entries. The chosen topic was trees, and there were 206 entries from seven schools: five First Schools (Colehill, Hayeswood, Merley, St John’s and Witchampton) and two Middle Schools (Allenbourn and St Michael’s). “No easy task then for competition organiser and town councillor Jeff Hart, a director of Planet Wimborne, together with Planet Wimborne’s Neil Smith, to choose the winning pictures from this array of artistic talent,” a spokesperson said. Nine competition winners, together with parents and teachers, enjoyed a celebration hosted by Wimborne Library. Linda Bunting, chair of Planet Wimborne, presented each child with a trophy and prize, and each participating school received a certificate. Environment conscious residents from a dementia care home did their bit to keep a stretch of Dorset coastline clean and safe. Four residents, accompanied by 3 care staff, traveled from Ferndown’s Colton Care Fernhill in Longham to carry out a beach clean at Swanage. Made the trip to supportGreat British Beach Clean Week, an initiative of the Marine Conservation Society.
Wimborne Community Garden Win Overall Winner in the Largest Horticultural Campaign in the Region16/10/2023 Wimborne Community Garden were awarded gold, overall winner and outstanding at the South and South East in Bloom Awards. The awards are the largest horticultural campaign in the region and involve hundreds of communities each year.
17 volunteers from Wimborne Community Garden went to RHS Garden Wisley on Friday 29th September. They enjoyed the impressive gardens in the morning and went on to receive awards in two categories: Our Community and It’s Your Neighbourhood. There was jubilation when the results were announced that Wimborne Community Garden not only won Gold but also Overall Winner in the Our Community Category and Outstanding in the It’s Your Neighbourhood. The Prizes were presented by Mark Porter, Chairman of the Britain in Bloom Federation and an RHS Vice-President. Supported by Faithworks, the garden was started in May 2022 in Wimborne town by a small band of enthusiastic volunteers. Gradually developed over the past 17 months it now boasts several productive vegetable beds and flower borders. Fresh produce is grown for Wimborne Food Bank+, Wimborne Community Kitchen as well as helping to source food for Beaucroft College’s 1HQ café, now open to the public in Wimborne. The Judge, John Lockwood, picked up on the partnership work as well as the numerous groups that use the garden from the local Scouts, Brownies and Cubs, the nursery school, Canford students and Year 9 Queen Elizabeth’s School students have also been involved. The fact that the community is so heavily involved with the garden was seen as extremely positive and especially because it is helping provide Beaucroft students valuable and enjoyable horticultural experiences. As the garden has grown physically so to has the band of volunteers. A consultation asking residents their thoughts on reducing the speed limit in a town centre has launched.
Dorset Council launched its public consultation for a new proposed 20mph speed limit across much of Wimborne town centre on Thursday, October 12. Public notices have been put up on display around the town centre and forms part of a wider county consultation including Bridport, Langton Matravers, Pimperne, and Winfrith. It follows a scheme set up in November in which parish councils could apply to be a part of the county council’s 20mph Panel Group. The CCC’s progress report to Parliament in June 2023 set out the risks to meeting the UK’s emissions targets and identified policy gaps and significant delivery risks. It highlighted that the UK was not on track to meet the UK’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the UN process for a 68% reduction in emissions by 2030, to which the Prime Minister reaffirmed the UK’s commitment in his recent update on Net Zero.
Since June, there have been several notable developments, with consequences for the feasibility of achieving future emissions targets, several of which were contained within the Prime Minister’s speech made on 20th September. A deal has been reached to electrify steelmaking at Port Talbot; a new cap has been implemented for the UK emissions trading scheme (ETS); the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate has been implemented in legislation; Auction Round 5 (AR5) for Contracts for Difference (CfDs) failed to attract bids for offshore wind projects. The Prime Minister’s 20th September announcements included exemptions / delays to phase-out dates for fossil-fuelled cars and boilers, and a decision not to regulate for improved energy efficiency of rented homes. We have updated our snapshot assessment of risks to meeting the UK’s emissions targets to reflect these developments. Recent announcements, most notably the Prime Minister’s speech on Net Zero, were not accompanied by corresponding estimates of their effect on emissions, nor with evidence to back the Government’s assurance that the UK’s targets will still be met. This is unhelpful – and the Committee urges the Government to adopt greater transparency in updating its assessment of policy impacts at the time of major announcements. Based on the information available, the CCC has made an independent assessment of how these developments will affect plans to meet the targets. We did not have enough information to assess the full effects of some of the proposed policy measures.
The Home Upgrade Grant in Dorset, a government-funded scheme helping homeowners and landlords improve the energy efficiency of their homes has been launched.The two- year programme is being delivered by Ridgewater Energy on behalf of Dorset Council, BCP Council and Public Health Dorset, and can cover measures like loft and wall insulation, heat pumps, double glazing, low energy lighting, and solar panels.
To qualify, homes need to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G, must not use mains gas for heating, and have a low income. To meet the criteria of a low income, households must receive a means-tested benefit, have a combined income of less than £31,000 before tax, or live in an eligible postcode area. Residents can check whether they are eligible for a Home Upgrade Grant or other support available, by contacting Healthy Homes Dorset via their website or by free phoning 0300 003 7023. For more information on further support available to help residents with the cost of living this winter, residents should visit the Dorset Council website or phone its customer services team on 01305 221000. A community garden has been created for residents with learning disabilities or dementia.
The Park Community Garden in Weymouth, Dorset, is an accessible space with raised beds, potting tables and benches. The facility has been created within St John's Gardens by conservation group Litter Free Dorset, which is also creating another garden at Osprey Quay. The garden was officially launched on Tuesday morning. Litter Free Dorset said the project had been supported by Dorset Council and Weymouth Town Council. It said it was also collaborating with two groups that work with young adults with learning disabilities - Green Fingers and stABILITY - whose members will tend to the garden and grow vegetables, flowers and herbs for the local community. Angela Lambert, founder of stABILITY, said "Members will take ownership of an area of the park, plan ahead, work together as a team and improve communication skills." Weymouth mayor Kate Wheller said "Growing fruit and vegetables in a community garden is a wonderful way to get active outdoors, meet people and boost your mental health and wellbeing. |
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