At the launch of the new Draft Bill on energy, Liberal Democrat Secretary of State of Energy and Climate Change Ed Davey, writes:

Over the next decade, around a fifth of existing power plants are due to close, against a background of increased energy demand and increasing prices. We need new investment simply to keep the lights on.

But more than that, we need a clean energy revolution to meet our ambitious climate change goals and make this the greenest government ever.

That’s why I am bringing forward a new Energy Bill today.

You can read more about our clean energy revolution here.

We also need to transform our energy market to reduce the risk and cost of low carbon technologies.

That’s what our Bill does.

The UK is fast becoming a world leader in renewable energy, especially in off shore wind. I want us to lead the world in Carbon Capture and Storage too.

And we are also tackling rising energy bills. Without reforming the energy market bills will rise by around £200 in the coming years. Our reforms will mean bills are around 4% lower than they otherwise would have been.

Going green is good for the economy, good for Britain and good for you.

Yours,

Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

(Image licensed under Creative Commons from DECC)

(Click picture to play video)

It is shameful that, despite all the promise on a four or five year old’s first day at school, or the passion of their teachers, you can all too often plot that child’s path just by asking how much their parents earn.

The £2.5billion Pupil Premium was one of the four pledges on the front page of our manifesto.  And now, with Liberal Democrats in government, schools are using the money for things like breakfast clubs; homework clubs; or to provide one-to-one-tuition. These are the sort of experiences many middle class children take for granted but a poorer child might rarely enjoy.

Yesterday I visited a fantastic primary school to see how they are spending their Pupil Premium, highlight our new Summer Schools to ease the transition from primary to secondary, and to set out our plans to reward teachers and hold schools to account.

The Pupil Premium shows that, in tough times, we are implementing Liberal Democrat values and prioritising help for those pupils who need it most.

Best wishes,

Nick Clegg MP

Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Deputy Prime Minister

PS Click here to find out how much money your local school will receive from the Liberal Democrats’ Pupil Premium.

This week, Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat minister at the Department of Health) has launched a national £4 million lung cancer awareness campaign. The campaign, the first of its kind, will use TV, radio and press adverts, and advertising on pharmacist bags and inside GP surgeries, to raise awareness of the disease.

One of its aims is to persuade anyone who has had a cough for more than three weeks to see their doctor.

You can find more information about coughing and lung cancer at the Department of Health website, here: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/05/coughing-could-be-a-sign-of-lung-cancer-2/

With 33,000 new cases diagnosed each year, lung cancer is a blight on the lives of far too many of our families and an early diagnosis can make all the difference. Please take the opportunity of the Be Clear on Cancer campaign to find out more about prevention and diagnosis, and to visit your local doctor if you’ve had a persistent cough – it is always better to be safe than sorry!

http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/tag/be-clear-on-cancer/

Well it is all over and I would like to thank the people who supported me and voted for me, but the residents spoke and decided that they no longer wanted me to represent them. I did my best to help and represent them and along the way I met and made many new friends

Nearly at election day and over the last few weeks, I have met and spoken to some interesting people after the initial reaction of, we only see you at election time and I explained just how many houses that have to be covered,  how big the ward is and even if it was possible would they want me knocking on their doors all the time and I am committed to doing all the usual meetings with residents and the work that comes with been a councillor as no matter what is happening I am still a councillor and duties come with this until tomorrow and I consider this just as important to keep to all this work going and sorting out residents complaints even when fighting an election. I have appreciated all the kind words I have recieved on the doorsteps and the questions simply questions but if it puts residents minds at rest then I am more then happy to help. Aside from council questions I am frequently asked about the carnival parade that I have had strong links with over the last five years another event that I am hoping that the weather is kind to us for as so much hard work is done by the community and charties that lets us all wish for sunshine for them.

Well I have given up trying to avoid the torrential rain, if we take notice of the weather we will cease going out, I really feel that they should relook at the hosepipe ban as it has not stopped raining since the ban started.

 Back to the streets out again talking to residents and to them at the moment it is the weather that is really getting to them. A lot of our elderly residents  are missing going out while we have the continual downpours so have been pleased that I have stopped by we  talk about the bin collections, thougths on dog mess and their thoughts on young people. One old gentleman who tells me he recently had to stop playing football even though he is now 92 says his legs are not to good, remembers that when he was a lad he was in trouble for alsorts of things no worse then our young people today. But talk to our young people and their concerns are they are all tarred by the same brush and their fear of drugs is the same as their parents they do not want to get sucked in to a life of despair. I have recently been involved with some young  people from the college who are on courses and have been looking to add to their C/Vs  by voluntary work and with my small net work of people I have tried to connect then to others so references can then be given and experience added to their C/Vs I am more then happy to assist these young people and I always remember not to judge a book by its cover under alot of the strange clothes make up and jewellery beats hearts of gold we have some wonderful young people in North East Lincs and I do see so much good work done by them in so many fields, especially in my involvement with the Duke of Edinborough award that is really one of my favourite committees and I am very proud to be associated with it.

Another busy day out on the streets of the Croft Baker ward talking to many residents about their worries and what there issues are many talk about parking as this is a tremendous problem in the Croft Baker area not only around the sea front and the nearby streets but in a lot of residents areas as a lot of thoughtless people who park half their car on pavements causing many elderly and young mums with buggies to go on to the road.If only people though about others instead of been determined to park right outside where they want to be life could be so much easier

The weather has been holding up all candidates from hitting the streets we have all had to dodge between showers but on my rounds I have been surprised to see candidates from other parties for other areas turning up in the Croft baker ward canvassing this tells me two things they think their wards are in the bag and do not need to do any work there dangerous thoughts thougth two I will let you think about I have my own ideas.

It was the last full council meeting of municipal year on Thursday night. Myself and many of my colleagues were dismayed at what was said and the way fellow councillors conducted themselves. Yes we have an election approaching fast but to blatantly use an arena like the council chamber for the election was to my mind totally wrong. I like everyone in the council chamber was happy to support the petition for the Leeds General Infirmary Childrens Heart unit to keep it open. This was something that we all needed to throw our weight behind for the residents of North East Lincolnshire. But council meetings are to discuss in the main how we can do our best for our residents of the area, question the leader deputy and portfolio holders for any extra information and to air questions that we need answers for,  not use this arena as a place where councillors think they can use it to their benifit for an election. As it was the retiring Mayors last meeting where  she nearly broke the gavel calling members to behave.  A disastrous end to her Mayoral year and something we should be ashamed of.

Well the end of another busy week spent out on the streets listening and talking to residents, about their worries and what concerns them the most, many understand that you cannot spend what you do not have in your bank and you have to live with in your means. The budget for the council is no different it has to be balanced so as many services as possible are there for our residents. It is a huge bill that has to make sure that we receive good value for money, as it is the council tax payers of NEL who are paying for everything. I hear over and over again how people have been encouraged to get things that they cannot really afford. Many now realise that hire purchase and credit is paying way over the odds for things and we can no longer afford, so cannot continue to live like this. I have great sympathy for parents as they get pressure and only want the best for their children. As a council we have to make sure no how hard some of the pressures are we do our very best for everyone.