Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member considered a report which outlined the purposes for which an application could be made to the Department of Energy and Climate Change for Local Authority Funds for domestic energy efficiency and gave details of the application submitted by the Council.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change had made £40million available for Local Authorities to apply for funding from three specific funds - £25million Food Poverty Fund, £10million Green Deal Pioneer Fund and £5million Cheaper Energy Together Fund.

The Council had applied for a total of £449,900 on 30 November 2012, made up of the following:

• £181,400 bid to the Fuel Poverty Fund for insulation and heating measures for low income and vulnerable households at risk of fuel poverty and cold related ill health living in private sector housing
• £197,500 bid to the Green Deal Pioneer Fund for activities across Cheshire East to create a portfolio of householders ready to enter into Green Deal plans, with focused activity in urban Macclesfield to test more innovative approaches to marketing the Green Deal
• £71,000 bid to the Cheaper Energy Together Fund to deliver a collective switching scheme, focusing on encouraging take up amongst low income and vulnerable households to drive down household energy costs.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)       the application submitted to the Department of Energy and Climate Change for Local Authority Funds in respect of the Fuel Poverty Fund, Green Deal Pioneer Fund and the Cheaper Energy Together Fund be endorsed;

(2)       approval “in principle” be given for fully funded Supplementary Revenue and Capital Estimates, in accordance with the Finance and Contract Procedure Rules, should the application for funds be successful.