Public Meeting "Energy We Can All Afford" 23 Feb 2013

More than 70 people came along to debate the Energy Bill with a panel of guests, which included our MP Martin Horwood. The Bill, which will shape the UK's energy system for the next 40 years, is a once in a generation opportunity to bring down carbon emissions, get consumer energy bills under control, and position the UK as a modern, efficient economy attracting investment and creating jobs.

The panel in from of the CBE photo competition finalists

Martin Davis, from the Cheltenham Christian Ecology Link, chaired the meeting. The panel consisted of Kevin Frea from the Gloucestershire Community Energy Co-op and Liz Hutchens & Mike Birkin from Friends of the Earth.

Martin Horwood MP supporting the amendment to the Energy Bill with Sallie Agombar from Cheltenham FoE

During his intruduction Martin Horwood told the meeting that he would be supporting the the decarbinisation amendment to the Energy Bill, which has been tabled by MP Tim Yeo. The amendment calls for electricity companies to be subject to emissions targets in line with recommendations from the Commitee on Climate Change.

Liz Hutchens from FoE explains the importance of the Energy Bill

A dozen photographs, selected from the finalists of the 'Clean British Energy Photo Competition', formed a stunning backdrop to the debate, which was held at St Andrews Church in Montpellier.

This meeting was one of a series of public meetings with MPs taking place around the country at this time. They are being supported nationally by the Energy Bill Revolution - an alliance of more than 100 organisations including Barnardos, MENCAP, Save the Children and the National Pensioners Forum (see www.energybillrevolution.org/whos-behind-it).