In a new column for Biddulph Nub News, Cllr Joe Porter has explained why he thinks we should be hopeful going into 2021 after such a difficult year.

2020 was one of the most difficult years ever, but it was amazing to witness outstanding levels of community spirit across the country. Here in the Staffordshire Moorlands we saw people stepping up the plate and wanting to do their duty to help others in the community. I am very proud to represent Brown Edge & Endon, a community which really has pulled together to help elderly and vulnerable people through these difficult times.

Another reason to be positive is that the Government delivered on its promise to Get Brexit Done and get the trade deal done. At the start of the very final hour of the year, Britain threw off the shackles of European Union rules and regulations as Brexit at long last got done. Midnight in Brussels, 11pm our time, on December 31, saw the end of the post-Brexit transition period during which we stayed tied-in to the body of EU law, and the start of the trade and co-operation agreement Boris Johnson reached with Brussels on Christmas Eve.

National sovereignty has been well and truly restored and it arrived hand in hand with a zero tariff, zero quota trade deal that few expected Mr Johnson to achieve. This is the biggest bilateral trade deal in history and worth £668 billion, it ends the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and delivers on the promises made to the British people to take back control of our laws, money, borders, trade, and fishing waters. The UK has now agreed trade deals with 62 countries, alongside the new EU deal – accounting for around £885 billion of UK trade. History will remember Boris Johnson as the Prime Minister who delivered Brexit and restored our national pride.

One other key thing that happened during 2020 was that everyone prioritised the environment and climate change more than ever before. We saw record numbers of people connecting with nature and appreciating the green spaces on their doorsteps. This is great news for those of us who have been campaigning on environmental issues for many years. One particular highlight was that over half of Britain's electricity was generated by wind power on Boxing Day this year. This was the first time ever wind has supplied the majority of the country's power over the course of a whole day.

The push for renewable sources of energy and reduced power demands amid the COVID-19 pandemic has put us on track as a world leader in green energy and climate action. According to the National Grid, the electricity system's 'carbon intensity' – a measurement of how much it pollutes – has never been lower. Most recently the measure stood at an average of 181 grams of carbon dioxide emitted for every kilowatt-hour of electricity produced. For comparison, the average carbon intensity for 2019 was 215g. The figure has fallen annually since 2013, when it was 529g and coal power was still dominant. Locally, climate change remains a top priority at Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and I look forward to the year ahead when we will release our action plan for becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and our upcoming Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan for restoring nature.

Times may be difficult for us in the middle of another national lockdown, but there is reason for hope in 2021 as the miracle of science has allowed vaccines to be produced at record speed. The UK is leading the world on vaccine roll-out so far and this is thanks to the heroic efforts of our scientists and NHS workers. We are also finally back in charge of our own destiny. We must keep going with the national restrictions for now. But once the vaccine is rolled out, let us restore people's freedoms and give back even more control to communities as we exit from the pandemic and together build a greater future for our country.

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