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Craven Leisure’s solar panels to finally be switched on after 18 months

Tuesday, 4 April 2023 12:50

By Thomas Barrett, Local Democracy Reporter

Solar panels installed at Craven Leisure in November 2021 will finally be switched on this month.

The panels were placed on the roof of the Skipton leisure centre as part of a £1.2m project to reduce carbon emissions at the council’s buildings.

But the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported in January that the council was still awaiting confirmation from energy distributor Northern Powergrid before they could be used due to an issue with a third party.

It means the solar panels have not generated any renewable energy for almost 18 months.

At the final meeting of Craven District Council on Thursday evening in Skipton, Green Party councillor for Skipton North David Noland asked Conservative council leader Richard Foster if there was an update on the solar panels — and  he was pleased with the response.

Cllr Foster said the issue that was preventing the solar panels from being switched on had been resolved and engineers will be working between 3rd April 3 and 14th April to connect them up.

However, in the time that the solar panels were originally installed the price of energy has rocketed. A recent council meeting heard how gas and electric bills at Craven Leisure have increased by 124%.

In the last financial year, the council spent an additional £631,000 on energy bills at its buildings, including Craven Leisure, which was one of its largest.

Simon Myers, Conservative councillor for Gargrave and Malhamdale, previously said the council has written to government ministers and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak regarding support for energy bills at the leisure centre.

On Saturday, North Yorkshire Council took control of all assets held by Craven District Council, including Craven Leisure.

The new council will undertake a £120,000 review of leisure services with the aim of creating a countywide model for delivering leisure and sport by 2027.

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