East Cambs District Council vows to tackle fuel poverty

ALMOST 5,000 homes across East Cambridgeshire are in fuel poverty – and the district council this week launched a new plan to tackle it.

Out of more than 36,000 homes in the district, 13.7 per cent are in fuel poverty. The county-wide average is 14.5 per cent.

East Cambridgeshire District Council is looking at how it can deliver on the requirements of the Home Energy Conservation Act by improving the energy efficiency of homes.

Additional measures to help householders out of fuel poverty while reducing levels of carbon dioxide emissions will include ‘Warm Homes Healthy People’, promotion of renewable heat incentives and communal energy switching.

Councillor Richard Hobbs, chairman of the council’s community and environment committee, said: “We have a very good record in East Cambridgeshire for helping local people to make their homes more energy efficient.

“Through various schemes such as Warm Homes Healthy People, we have ensured hundreds of residents have been lifted out of fuel poverty and have been able to save significant money on their fuel bills.

“We are not complacent as we know there is still much to do. The council can not do this work alone which it is why we have adapted such a successful partnership approach that is making such a difference.”