500th solar panel installed on council home in Ipswich

Ipswich Borough Council has this week installed its 500^th solar panel as part of its commitment to providing its residents with sustainable energy solutions.

 

Installed on a home in Maple Close, the news demonstrates the Council’s ongoing effort to use more renewable energy in the town, using local firms for the scaffolding and panel installation.

 

This initiative is part of Ipswich Borough Council's dedication to combat climate change, supporting carbon neutral ambitions, paving the way for a greener and more sustainable future for residents, whilst helping to reduce energy bills.

 

By reaching the 500 milestone, this shows the great strides forward being taken by the Council, harnessing the power of renewable resources on its housing stock in Ipswich.

 

Solar power offers numerous benefits, including decreased dependence on fossil fuels, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and cost-effective energy solutions for community benefit.

My week ahead 5 - 11 August 2013

Monday 5 August - 6pm, Labour campaigning, South East Ipswich

Thursday 8 August – 4pm, Area Committee Chair’s meeting

Saturday 10 August - 10am, Labour campaigning, North West Ipswich

August always has slightly less meetings than other months but this will allow more time to get out campaigning and more importantly, meeting residents.

This week I attended the South East Area Committee meeting at Ravenswood School, a large attendance due to the fact that Tory Transport chief, Graham Newman was to address the meeting. He was invited to speak about general transport issues but by the time the meeting came round the only real topic was the proposed installation of traffic lights on Bishops Hill.

It was hard to find any resident keen on the idea and Tory Cllr Newman would not have been happy that another Tory Cllr, Liz Harsant insisted that longer was given for residents to question Mr Newman.

At the end of the meeting Mr Newman agreed to a further meeting some would say consultation! But I have a feeling a second meeting may take place but there will be no consultation it will be more of an information meeting to just say why and when the lights are going in. From the meeting it seems obvious that there is little contact let alone discussion of policies between the Ipswich and Suffolk Tory Groups.

In the Holywells ward the Tories seem to be using the St Margaret’s Lib Dem Modus Operandi – just saying whatever residents want – even if it is the opposite to Tory policy or even the opposite of what you said last week.

It seems we have a certain Holywells Tory councillor against the proposed Holywells Park upgrade (due to Heritage Lottery Fund grant) because of the parking issues in Cliff Lane and surrounding streets, even though a few weeks earlier all the Holywells Tory councillors had been mentioned on a Tory leaflet along with Ben Gummer celebrating the grant.

Even a St Margaret’s; Lib Dem would have been proud of the ability to say one thing and then a week later say the complete opposite.

Just so all residents are clear the idea to place lights on Bishops Hill and remove the Norwich Road mini-roundabouts is a TORY plan, which they could not tell residents about as the timing of the proposals clashed with the County Council elections (a date they had known about for 4 years)

According to Ipswich Spy, I was cycling on the pavement in Ipswich on Tuesday, funny as I was in Oulton all day campaigning for Len Jacklin and then at the SE Area committee meeting - Tories should worry - two of me!

Deliberately misleading or a spelling mistake?

Liz Harsant- the Tory leader- not a Tory misleader (just a spelling mistake!)

Now I know I am not the best at spelling (or typing)but I can't believe the Tory Council leader in Ipswich (Liz Harsant) is blaming a factual error in their last Tory leaflet (and only leaflet for about the last 10 months!) on spelling!

The full story can be found on the Evening Star website here. Liz Harsant may feel unlucky that she has been asked to explain the "mistake", but she is the only Tory councilor who actually gets much of a mention in the leaflet as the rest is all about the 'young' Gummer.

In the leaflet Liz was quoted as saying that every council house in Ipswich has been upgraded to the 'Ipswich standard' , which dictates maintenance necessary to meet national minimum standard requirements.

However it is now confirmed that 1,670 homes in Ipswich are still waiting to be upgraded and estimated completion is not till December 2010!

Liz will next blame the schools for not teaching spelling up to a correct standard!

She states that the leaflet should have read - "all council houses are being upgraded" rather than what it did state - " all council houses have been upgraded".

Seems more than a spelling mistake to me.

Mr Gummer is meant to be happy to make a statement about the 'mistake' in his next 'Changes' leaflet. why wait? Put it on your Ipswich Tory (really only about Gummer) website, and what about the Liberals? Well I know certain Liberals read this site, are you going to join Labour in asking Mrs Harsant to make a formal apology- or are you going to stick to your normal modus operandi - and claim it is the Liberals who have forced their Tory partners to get all council houses to the 'Ipswich standard' , - even if 1,670 houses have another 2 and half years to wait!