CLIMATE change was top of the agenda when Energy Alton met Damian Hinds.

Speaking at the meeting on September 9 at Alton library, the East Hampshire MP paid tribute to the energy and awareness group, saying it had done “an extraordinarily good job over the years in raising awareness of the importance of energy efficiency and wider environmental issues”.

Energy Alton chairman John Hubbard and members Eleanor Hill and Jenny Griffiths raised several key issues, in particular on the threat of climate change and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the news of significant government action to be outlined in the forthcoming carbon budget.

Mr Hinds stressed the Government’s commitment implementing the requirements of the Climate Change Act, which includes the ambitious target 15 per cent of energy to come from renewables by 2020.

Energy Alton wants to see stronger targets for sustainable new buildings and financial support for retrofitting seven million older homes that do not meet minimum energy-efficiency standards. The group says local authorities, such as East Hampshire District Council, are well placed to deliver this with voluntary groups.

Members believe offers, for example the Molson Coors site in Alton offers a unique opportunity for an exemplar civic development to include renewable energy, such as a district heating scheme.

One of Energy Alton’s objectives is helping households out of fuel poverty – the group is concerned that the government is unlikely to meet its own target to improve “fuel poor” homes.

More than six per cent of households in East Hampshire are deemed to be fuel poor, due partly to inadequate heating systems and poorly insulated houses.

Energy Alton said the meeting was helpful and supportive and that it looked forward to continuing its dialogue with Alton’s MP.

The meeting took place at Alton Library, where the solar panels installed by Energy Alton in 2013 are working well.

To date the panesl have generated 28,483 kilowatt hours of carbon free electricity and prevented approximately 52 tons of carbon being released into the atmosphere.