David Barton, a heritage campaigner for Sefton and former Southport councillor, is urging local residents, business owners, and stakeholders to take part in a national online consultation on the future of energy supply across the UK and Ireland. The UK Parliament's Business and Energy Inquiry is examining the link between high energy costs, business decarbonisation, and economic growth, with submissions closing at 11:50pm on September 18, 2026.
Why the inquiry matters for local businesses
The inquiry focuses on how electricity prices influence the pace at which companies can transition to cleaner energy. It aims to establish a clear strategic framework for industrial electrification and decarbonisation that supports both manufacturing and everyday high street traders. According to Barton, direct grassroots feedback from the community can play a crucial role in shaping future legislation, particularly in bringing vacant shop units back into use, keeping businesses open on the high street, and making better use of the historic built environment.
Barton highlighted that hearing directly from those on the ground could pave the way for targeted support. For instance, lower running costs could enable certain third parties to remain open past 5pm, providing better options for families and visitors arriving after work. He emphasised that the consultation is not only about tackling the climate crisis but also about helping people operate an in-person business, which is essential to the future of high street retail.
Energy costs and the future of high streets
The consultation gives individuals and local organisations a real voice to tackle long-standing issues. Barton stressed the need for continued collaborative working through times of adversity rather than relying on flawed, outdated approaches. Energy usage is a deciding factor for many traders when choosing to set up or continue running physical premises. Without viable high streets, the goods and services communities rely on will increasingly be pushed online, he warned.
By retaining physical options to explore what is available locally, Barton also pointed out that communities promote healthier lifestyles through the active exercise of visiting real shops. He stated, "This consultation targets a key theme affecting the UK and Ireland. I am therefore encouraging as many people as possible to provide submissions, especially investors and traders, as this is an opportunity to present 'placemaking principles' in action while highlighting the real-time requirements of running a business in the 2020s."
How to participate and impact
Barton added, "It is vital that individuals and organisations take this chance to contribute actively towards national action that will shape policy for decades to come." The consultation can be completed online until Friday, September 18, 2026, via the UK Parliament's Business and Energy Inquiry portal. The deadline for submissions is 11:50pm on that date. Barton's call aims to maximise local participation, ensuring that Sefton's voice is heard in shaping energy policy that could affect high street viability and decarbonisation efforts across the country.
