Herefordshire Council appoints energy champion
Herefordshire Council has appointed an Energy Champion to tackle the problem of fuel poverty in the county.
As part of its commitment to help all residents in the county afford to pay their fuel bills, Councillor Phil Cutter, Conservative ward member for Ross-on-Wye East, has taken up the role with immediate effect.
He will be tasked with promoting the council’s energy efficiency scheme and keeping fellow councillors updated on affordable warmth activity in the county.
He will also be scrutinising all council’s decisions to ensure they reflect the need to provide affordable warmth and the protection of people from fuel poverty.
Councillor Cutter said: “I see myself as the public face of the council with regard to promoting the council’s Affordable Warmth Strategy and renewable energy schemes.
“I want to make sure we get as many homes in the county homes as we can out of fuel poverty and I will be working closely with partner organisations and parish councils to ensure we reach these most vulnerable households,” he added.
Councillor Olwyn Barnett, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for social care (adults and health), said: “I am extremely concerned that fuel prices are rising at an unprecedented rate and this is making it difficult for Herefordshire residents to pay their fuel bills.”
“The council already has an Affordable Warmth Strategy in place and one of the key objectives of the action plan is to have an energy champion.”
“I am delighted Councillor Cutter has agreed to take on this role and am sure he will help our overall campaign to reduce fuel poverty in the county,” she added.
A household is considered to be fuel poor when it needs to spend 10 per cent or more of its income on fuel to heat the home to an adequate temperature. 2005 figures estimate 8,540 (10.7 per cent) of dwellings are in fuel poverty in Herefordshire.
There are many positive outcomes as a result of increasing the provision of affordable warmth in Herefordshire:
· A warm house reduces risk of circulatory and respiratory disease. This in turn lessens the burden on the health service
· Lower fuel bills from more energy efficient homes and affordable heating systems means increased disposable incomes
· Well Insulated and sufficiently heated homes are less likely to suffer from damp and mould growth reducing impact on building structure and occupant’s health
· From an environmental perspective, more efficient use of fuel reduces carbon dioxide emissions produced from burning fossil fuels and helps to reduce the impact of climate change
The Council Special Energy Efficiency Scheme (SEES) has now started again for 2008/09 where a grant of up to £500 will be available to clients who live in the following wards:
· Ross on Wye West
· The Western part of Aylestone ward
· Kington
The scheme is also open to clients living throughout Herefordshire who heat their homes with:
· Electric storage heaters
· Electric central heating
· Solid fuel central heating
· LPG central heating
· Room heaters with no central heating
And/or
· Herefordshire residents who pay for their fuel use with prepayment meters.
· Residents throughout Herefordshire claiming state benefits
Measures covered under the scheme are:
· Loft insulation
· Cavity wall insulation
· Draught proofing
· Thermostatic radiator valves
· Room thermostats
· Programmers
· Hot water cylinder thermostats
· Tank jackets
Since the strategy launch, SEES has provided grant assistance for insulation to more than 600 households and 50 grants for replacement boilers and central heating systems.
Aside from the SEES scheme, there are other heavily discounted schemes which residents can apply for to have their home insulated funded by energy suppliers.
Moreover, in order to combat fuel poverty, it is essential to ensure that households are receiving the state benefits that they are entitled to.
During the last year, Herefordshire’s Joint Visiting Team made up of staff from the Council and local Pension Service have helped just under 4,000 older people and people with disabilities claim benefits totalling over £4million.
The team can help people to claim a range of benefits including Pension Credit, which tops up the basic state pension, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, providing help towards rent and council tax payments, and Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance intended to help with the cost of care and/or mobility. People of pensionable age and the disabled can phone 01432 363 756 for a Benefits Entitlement Check.
Herefordshire Citizens Advice Bureau provides free and independent advice to anyone who needs it and last year dealt with over 1,400 benefits enquiries. The bureau can also help with problems with housing, finance and money, tax and utilities and many other legal problems. Herefordshire CAB can be contacted on 0844 8269685, by e-mail info@herefordshirecab.org.uk or by dropping in to any bureau around the county.
To find out more contact Herefordshire Council Energy Efficiency Department on 01432 260398 or log onto Herefordshire Council’s website at http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/environment/land/2154.asp
