Larks Hill deliveries and discussions Part 1 Kellingley comment

Out with colleagues delivering latest In Touch across Larks Hill. Some interesting and supportive conversations including a Kellingley Miner, sad about potential closure and the dispute that could arise. I agree we need to ensure that we have local production available, we still have coal fired power stations and need energy security, witnessed by William Hague's comments on Putin and his use of energy supplies to keep the EU in check.

We discussed our MP's television performance and how she ducked the challenge about the number of pit closures that she and her colleagues stood by and watched during the last Labour administration. He also commented that part of Kellingley's problems stem from lack of investment to keep the pit functional and managements tendency to pass through quickly without getting to grips with the operational issues. Even so its sad because by all accounts Kellingley is one of the most effective, efficient pits and when they extract coal and ship it 7 miles to a power station who pays in dollars and can buy it significantly cheaper from the US then this is just barmy.

As a local councillor I intend to at least pass the message back to government ministers that we need to have a blend of energy.