Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director of Place

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director of Place concerning the Council’s progress report on measures to improve energy efficiency in residential accommodation which was required to be submitted to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy by no later than 31^st March, 2017. There was also a requirement for the report to be made available to the public on the Council’s website. A copy of the report was set out at an appendix to the report. Part 1 of the report summarised progress since 2013 and the Council’s ambitions for the next two years while Part 2 summarised the positive impacts of completed and current projects.

The report indicated that Local Authorities had duties under Sections 2 and 5 of the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 to submit reports on energy efficiency measures to the Secretary of State. From time to time the Department for Business issues guidance to local authorities on the reporting requirements. The report referred to the initial report submitted to the Secretary of State by the 31^st March, 2013 deadline and the progress report submitted in March 2015. Progress reports were required to be submitted at two yearly intervals. The current report had been prepared in accordance with the latest guidance issued on 5^th January, 2017.

The Cabinet Member noted that the progress report referred to the measures set out in the original report however the context for reporting progress was very different now due to recent policy changes introduced by the Government. In addition, the continuing cuts to local authority funding had led to a reduction in staffing in the Affordable Warmth Team. Their work had also been restricted by limited funding to enable the implementation of projects to assist fuel poor households.

Information was provided on the Switch and Save schemes and the joint work between the Affordable Warmth Team and Public Health. Reference was made to the funding provided by Public Health to support initiatives.

Latest statistics showed that 13% (16,887) of all Coventry households were fuel poor, which compared to 10.6% for England. Fuel poverty was one of the Marmot indicators and the latest indicators highlighted that for Coventry fuel poverty was significantly worse than the England average. 

Councillor Caan, Cabinet Member expressed support for all the work that had been undertaken and requested that officers look at ways to publicise Switch and Save, for example by raising the project at future health days and by raising awareness of initiatives outside of the city such as in Warwickshire. He also suggested that further consideration be given to projects such as Nottingham City Council Robin Hood Energy, the first Council owned not for profit energy company supplying households in England, Wales and Scotland.

RESOLVED that:

1.  Approval be given to the submission of the progress report Parts 1 and 2 set out in Appendix A of the report to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy by 31^st March, 2017.

2.  Approval be given for report Parts 1 and 2 being made available to the public on the Coventry City Council website.