Published: 6 January, 2012

• AT a recent full council meeting, I spoke on a motion regarding the government’s foolish decision to reduce feed-in tariffs for photovoltaic-generated electricity.

I don’t disagree with the idea that at some point tariffs should be reduced, as the cost of installation falls. And while I agree the cost of installation has fallen far faster than envisioned, it is the silly, and wholly unnecessary, time frame of the current reduction that is at fault.

The government has given just a few weeks notice for these changes. Liberal Democrats believe it should have waited until the end of the financial year.

This would have given schemes in the pipeline enough time to complete and would provide time for forward planning. As it is, councils have seen schemes for PV power slashed back.

This is a huge blow for councils and those in our communities most in need of cheap fuel. It will also make quite a large dent in this government’s claims to be the greenest ever.

I did make just one small criticism of the motion: that it called on the council leader to write to the minister responsible within a month.

Consultation ended on December 23. I and the leader of the Lib Dem opposition had already written and we were both somewhat surprised that the executive member for environment had not also done so.

CLLR ARTHUR GRAVES
Lib Dem, Junction ward