COMMUNITIES in Oxford have been praised by Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband for working to make the city “the green capital of Britain”.

A number of projects designed to cut carbon emissions won praise as Mr Miliband visited Oxford today to meet people who are taking the lead in energy-efficient schemes.

He was visiting the city on the day the Government announced millions of pounds in grants for research into offshore wind technology, including £6m for the Isle of Wight firm Vestas Wind Systems, which is currently at the centre of a row over jobs.

Mr Miliband was lobbied by Thames Valley Climate Action over the Vestas job cuts before meeting members of the West Oxford Community Renewables group, who plan to use electricity from generators at Osney Weir to power their homes. They also want to put solar panels on buildings and erect wind turbines on Cumnor Hill and Harcourt Hill.

They hope to raise £1.4m to fund their project.

Mr Miliband said: “People in Oxford are working in diverse ways to make it the green capital of Great Britain.

“Oxford is a beacon because of the commitment of the people in the city to tackling climate change – I know how committed people are here to going green and reducing the carbon footprint.

“Oxford is unusual in its level of enthusiasm. I think that is partly because of the large student population.”

Also at the station were members of the Energy Saving Trust who advise people on how to make their homes energy efficient.

Mr Miliband said the Government was reforming the planning system to make it easier for wind turbines to go ahead, adding: “We cannot be the centre for onshore wind if, all over the country, applications are being turned down.”

He said he was keen to work with the group to help them overcome any barriers.

WOCR spokesman Barbara Hammond, of East Street, Osney Island, met Mr Miliband, who was tonight outlining the Government’s UK Low Carbon Transition Plan – which aims to cut carbon emissions by 34 per cent on 1990 levels by 2020 – at a public meeting in Oxford Town Hall.

She said: “Mr Miliband has seen a wealth of activity here to tackle climate change.

“It’s important everyone works together.”