More publicly owned solar and wind farms planned

Community-owned solar and wind farms could be set up to try and protect Gloucestershire from the volatile price of gas and oil.

The county's climate leaders will be asked to set up a cross-party task group to look into the issue and to identify publicly owned land that could be suitable.

The focus will be on areas with strong wind potential, good solar exposure, proximity to grid connections and closeness to population centres.

Green Party councillor, Ian Cameron, said the county was "letting opportunity blow by with the wind".

Cameron, councillor for Prestbury and Swindon, who put forward the motion earlier this week, said the global fossil fuel markets are increasingly unstable due to geopolitical conflict and have driven up prices "again and again".

"Every time there are gales in the weather forecast, I can't help but think of all the free energy just blowing past us, quite literally," he said.

He added that Gloucestershire's wind potential is "more than enough to make onshore wind and solar a serious economic opportunity not just an environmentally necessity".

The proposal was supported by the Liberal Democrats along with Labour and Independent councillors while the Conservatives were split.

Reform UK councillors voted against the proposals.

Their group leader Vernon Smith, councillor for Tewkesbury West, said the council "needed to think practical".

He suggested instead that the country continue to extract oil from the North Sea and increase capacity.

The idea is that the task group will also look at the different ownership and financing options which benefit local residents.

The motion was passed with 37 votes in favour 11 against.

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.