Why are we still waiting for big companies to sort energy? Stoke could make its own and cut bills.

Last winter, we had to make some really tough choices at the community centre. The energy bills were just astronomical, honestly. It meant turning down the heating when the pensioners were in, and cutting back on after-school programmes because we just couldn't afford to keep the lights on for longer. It’s heartbreaking when you see families struggling to pay their own bills, while the big energy companies are posting record profits. Something has to give.

My idea is simple: let communities take back control of their energy. We should be putting solar panels on every single public building – schools, libraries, our community centres, even the council offices. And where it makes sense, like on some of the old industrial sites, let’s get some proper community-owned wind turbines up and running. This isn’t rocket science, other countries do it all the time.