Council publicly supports Parliamentary Bills to help UK achieve climate targets

At their meeting on 18 December 2024, Warwick District Councillors voted unanimously to publicly reiterate their support for two Parliamentary Bills that will help achieve climate and nature targets in the United Kingdom.

Councillors voted to declare their support for the Climate and Nature Bill, as well as supporting the principle of mandating solar panels on all new homes as per the New Homes (Solar Generation) Bill, also known as the Sunshine Bill.

Group Leaders at the District Council have written to local MPs Matt Western and Sir Jeremy Wright to ask them to consider publicly supporting the Bills and enabling their passage through Parliament.

The second reading of the Sunshine Bill is due to take place in Parliament on Friday 17 January 2025, and the second reading of the Climate and Nature Bill on Friday 24 January.

Councillor Ian Davison, Leader of Warwick District Council, said: “The aims and objectives of both of these bills align very closely with the work that the Council is undertaking with its Corporate Strategy, the strive to reduce our residents’ energy bills, and improve the environment for people and nature. “As Councillors, we often talk to local residents about new housing and are often asked why developers don’t install solar panels as standard. Whilst the Council is rightly proud of its Net Zero Development Plan Document (DPD) that sets the environmental bar considerably higher than would otherwise be the case, new homes are still being built in our District without solar panels.

“This is not a party-political issue; the challenges we face must be done so together, and I’m grateful to all Councillors and Group Leaders for putting their support behind this.”

Residents and businesses are also encouraged to contact their local MP to ask them to publicly support the bills:

Matt Western MP, Warwick & Leamington – matt.western.mp@parliament.uk

Sir Jeremy Wright MP, Kenilworth & Southam – jeremy.wright.mp@parliament.uk