Partnership essential to combat climate change and fight fuel poverty

A partnership approach between energy suppliers and generators and local agencies is essential to combat climate change and attack fuel poverty, asserts Northgate Public Services in a response published today.

Welcoming the government’s approach to reducing domestic carbon emissions outlined in the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP), Northgate argues that the overall success of the scheme depends on clarifying roles and responsibilities to ensure a collaborative approach between energy providers, local authorities and community based organisations. It recommends that, in the short term, the parties draw up a memorandum of understanding and, in the long term, local authorities are given a statutory duty to promote climate change.

In its response, Northgate also calls for the roll out of Home Energy Audits and the use of ‘before’ and ‘after’ audits, carried out by Domestic Energy Assessors at a community level. It suggests that these should be used to assess the effectiveness of the measures carried out, and this information could then be used to attribute an appropriate bonus to the energy supplier or generator. It also says that the proposed new body of Home Energy Assessors should have DEA accreditation, to ensure quality of service and gain consumer trust.

Northgate argues that the government should actively encourage the implementation of free measures, and where charging is necessary, it must ensure that charges are fair and reasonable. It also says that to encourage intensive action at a community level, work should be targeted at all households in the area regardless of tenure. This will ensure that both private and social housing will benefit from CESP measures.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, said today: “We warmly welcome the overall strategy outlined in the consultation. CESP tackles climate change and focuses support on low income households.

“Given the scale of the challenge that we face, we believe that the government needs to adopt a bolder approach in relation to local partnerships. It also needs to be more innovative in the way it uses Home Energy Audits as a catalyst for altering opinion and changing behaviour.

“We believe that our recommended measures would not only take further steps towards building a low carbon future, but also help to eradicate fuel poverty sooner rather than later, ensuring a fairer society for all.”