Power sell-back drive

OLDHAM Councillor Howard Sykes is calling for parish councils to be able to sell electricity that they produce through renewable sources.

Councillor Sykes, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Oldham Council, has written to Lord Wallace, co-sponsor of the Deregulation Bill, about the issue.

In his letter, Councillor Sykes asks Lord Wallace, who sits as a Liberal Democrat in the House of Lords, to ensure “that the final bill contains the necessary clauses to permit parish and town councils to be able to sell electricity that they produce through investment in renewable sources”. This is a power that other local authorities already have but parish and town councils do not.

Councillor Sykes points out that this anomaly is “illogical” given that the generation of electricity from renewable sources is one of this Government’s highest priorities.

Councillor Sykes said: “These changes in the legislation would allow these councils to play a full part in the renewable energy revolution.

“Five thousand community groups have already participated in renewable energy initiatives; so allowing 9,000 new councils the power to do so could logically see a dramatic increase in such projects making a significant contribution to addressing climate change, and generating proceeds to spend on improvements in the local area.”
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