In May 2022, Wokingham Borough Council’s Liberal Democrat/Labour Coalition inherited a fully-costed Conservative solar farm plan, with planning permission granted and a timescale that was agreed with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) that would have been up and running this year. Except, thanks to the coalition, it isn’t. Instead of continuing with this plan the Liberal Democrats decided to throw it out and start again. Only their plan would see one-fifth less energy generated, with just three sites earmarked compared to five under the Conservatives. This has meant endless unnecessary analysis, dithering and delay.
Under the previous Conservative administration, the Council declared a Climate Emergency in July 2019, committing us to playing as full a role as possible in reducing our carbon footprint to be net carbon zero by 2030. In January 2020 we published our action plan which set out the Council’s proposal to develop five largescale solar PV farms throughout the Borough over the next five years.
Income from Barkham Solar Farm is now forecast to be in excess of £1m a year from that site alone. This money could have been used by the Council to pay for road improvements, give extra budget to schools, or improve our leisure facilities. It would have more than covered the cost of freezing parking charges, rather than doubling them as the Lib Dem/Labour Coalition have. Added to that, based on the Liberal Democrats’ own numbers, the solar farm works out as being just one-third of the cost per household compared to installing solar panels on each home.
Now we learn there are to be further delays to the Council’s planned solar farm. SSEN announced that connections to the National Grid could be delayed until 2037 because the Lib Dems pushed back the timeline, costing the Council millions in lost income and setting back our Climate Emergency Action Plan.
Despite the smaller yields, a programme of fitting solar onto the roofs of Council-owned buildings was begun, in parallel, by the previous Conservative administration. Notable sites include Dinton Pastures activity centre, Carnival leisure centre, Woodley Library, and St Crispin’s leisure centre. An initiative for solar panels on a large number of schools was launched by Cllr Graham Howe and Cllr Gregor Murray. The Council would assist with or help facilitate finance for installation, and the school would get the benefit of reduced energy bills. However, again the Lib Dems have dragged their feet. The administration did nothing for six months, only finally getting round to starting to think about it after it was raised by Cllr Howe.
Week in, week out, on issue after issue, it’s the same story: the Lib Dems and Labour talking a good game, but delivering nothing. And when a whole year goes by, and no-one sees any benefit – surprise, surprise, it’s always someone else’s fault. This time, Cllr Sarah Kerr says it’s the Government’s fault, but it’s clear that the Liberal Democrats only have themselves to blame.
Wokingham Borough under Lib Dem and Labour control has seen empty promises, grand statements followed by inaction, and endless blame games.
If the Conservatives are elected to run the Council, we are committed to delivering on our commitments to you. We pledge that we will get on with solar and generate the energy and savings that will benefit you and your families.
by Cllr Gregor Murray
Conservative Spokesman for Climate Emergency
