HC 1605 Energy and Climate Change and Environmental Audit CommitteesWritten evidence submitted by Carroll Reeve, Chairman, Transition Lavenham CIC

I would make a special plea for community groups. Most such groups, certainly the ones I am associated with, are run by volunteers. By definition voluntary groups take longer to get their act together. It is not an efficient process, it takes time to fund raise (longer now as grants have but all dried-up), to enjoy a meeting of minds, agree achievable outcomes and then get the thing done - because we all giving of our time.

The consultative document makes only passing reference to schemes for the benefit of communities. The Minister made a bigger play of protecting community schemes on the Today programme (on the Friday preceding the issue of the consultative document), than the document does. In addition, a cut-off date preceding the end of the consultative process is at best suspect. Moreover, here in Suffolk we have had bad experiences of so called consultation.

I know of two schemes in South Suffolk to put PVs on village halls that have now been dropped and a third that is likely to go that way.

Letter to Greg Barker MP and Tim Yeo MP, dated 14 November 2011

The purpose of this submission is to obtain a concession for the installation of solar PV on public buildings in that the current FiT rates will be held until at least 31 March 2012, when it had been anticipated that rate reductions would be applied.

In Lavenham there are three planning applications in progress for installation of solar PV, viz., on the Village Hall and on two public lavatories, the operation and maintenance of which will be divested to Lavenham Parish Council by Babergh District Council (without any funding, transitional or otherwise).

It is proposed to install 10 kW solar panels on the roof of the Village Hall. This will eventually be used to supply reversible air source to air heat pumps able to supplement the space heating and to provide cooling in the Summer, when solar gain is creating discomfort in its Main Hall and Function Room. The solar power will be at a maximum, to provide a necessary measure of cooling.

Lavenham Community Council, the owner of the hall is a not for profit limited company, any surplus is invested back into the community. It has decided to fund the installation of the solar PV panels on the lower roof of the hall from its own resources and is in the process of applying for planning permission—the building is in a conservation area. Any benefit arising from this local form of electricity generation will therefore accrue solely to the benefit of the local community.

Lavenham Parish Council plans to take over the maintenance of its two public lavatories due to local authority budget cuts and is looking for savings in running costs. Electricity is needed for lighting and hand dryers: solar PV would reduce the bills.

Lavenham is striving to support community action in the framework of the coalition government’s “Big Society”. This arbitrary reduction in FiTs from 12 December 2011 represents a huge setback to its potential contribution.

Moreover, as the change over date precedes the end of the consultation period, one questions the value of consultation, an experience we have recently endured with Suffolk County Council and now our district council. Lavenham Parish Council has previously written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in March this year giving support for localism and our willingness to participate.

ransition Lavenham CIC supports the “Big Society” with community action at its heart, and requests that for public buildings at least, there will be a concessionary extension of the current FiT rates until 31 March 2012, and a more stable environment thereafter, so as to enable the current plans for the hall and lavatories to be fulfilled to the benefit of the local community.

18 November 2011

Prepared 22nd December 2011