News / West of England Combined Authority
£50,000 energy plan for Bristol region branded ‘huge disappointment’
Residents and campaigners have panned a £50,000 long-term energy plan for the region as a “travesty”, “woefully inadequate” and like “rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic”.
The West of England Combined Authority (Weca) report was criticised as “just a 20-page PowerPoint presentation”, “vague and frankly useless” and “a travesty, not fit for purpose and a complete failure”.
Despite the reaction, the West of England Joint Committee, which comprises the leaders of Bristol City, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bath & North East Somerset councils, agreed on February 15, to adopt it as Weca’s official energy strategy.
is needed now More than ever
Tim Bowles says more detailed planning will come later
West of England mayor Tim Bowles defended the document, which aims to create a “diverse, resilient and affordable energy system that enables economic growth and reduces greenhouse emissions”, insisting it was a “high-level framework” which will help shape future energy schemes.
But several residents, renewable energy experts and Bristol Green Party councillors slammed the report, paid for by a £50,000 grant from the Government to the Local Enterprise Partnership, which commissioned research by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE).
Speaking from the public gallery, Sam Morris said: “The energy strategy is a huge disappointment.
“It contains no actionable, measurable plan and offers no timetable to enable the West of England to travel towards a sustainable, zero-carbon future.
“The process of putting this report together began back in 2017 when Weca commissioned CSE to produce a report.
“I have no idea how, in over one year, Weca has managed to put together such a vague and frankly useless strategy.
“The committee have completely failed the people of the West of England with this lazy and lacklustre strategy.
“Weca has squandered £50,000 of public money. As it stands, it will deliver too little, too late.
“To me, this is rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic.”
Huw Johnson said: “I find myself baffled, astonished and, to be honest, angered by Weca’s energy strategy report.
“The energy strategy appears to be just a 20-page PowerPoint presentation.
“It contains only five short pages describing what Weca actually intends to do and these are couched in terms so vague and non-committal that they give no clear sense of what the outcomes might be.
“There are no targets to which you can be held accountable.
“I am appalled to find Weca’s energy strategy a travesty, not fit-for-purpose and a complete failure in democratic local governance.”
Weca mayor Tim Bowles said “more detailed action planning” would come later.
B&NES cabinet member for economic and community regeneration Paul Myers said: “It is essential we lobby government to support the strategy going forward and that the delivery plan is as ambitious as possible while recognising the financial limits available.”
Responding to criticism Weca’s strategy lacked leadership, North Somerset Council leader Nigel Ashton said: “Leadership is not about promising things that cannot be delivered.
“This strategy is an overarching ambition based on the government guidelines.
“Most councils are discussing their action plans but we are not funded to do this kind of work, so it has to come from our budgets.
“It’s not that we’re not as passionate as you. Please don’t regard this as a lack of ambition.”
Bristol deputy mayor Craig Cheney said the city council was already carrying out a huge amount of work with the aim of making Bristol carbon neutral by 2030.
Adam Postans is a local democracy reporter for Bristol.
Read more: Bristol declares climate emergency and pledges to become carbon neutral by 2030.
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