LOCAL COUNCILS FAILING ON ENERGY TARGETS

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 20th Aug 2007

Local councils across the region are struggling to bring about energy efficiency improvements in line with government targets, says Staffordshire Euro-MP Liz Lynne.

Councils have to ensure that household energy efficiency levels are raised by 2% a year if they are to meet the 2010 deadline for improvement. But over a third of local councils (14/34) are lagging behind according to new government figures. (Please follow the link below to the report.)

To be on target councils should now be achieving a 20% improvement according to the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the author of the report.

Liz has warned that the results are bad news both for local householders and for the environment. Speaking today, she added:

"The Government should speed up the pace by offering significant financial rewards to those councils that meet them ahead of schedule. Increasing energy efficiency in domestic homes is one of the most effective ways of tackling climate change and reducing energy demand."

"There are currently very few incentives for councils to take a lead in promoting energy efficiency, and those improvements that are being made are usually by individuals without significant encouragement or support from councils."

The Euro-MP wants every council to put in place a 10 and 20-year energy efficiency programme, and to set an example by ensuring that every public building is heated and lit in the most energy efficient manner.

The Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 requires all UK local authorities with housing responsibilities to prepare, publish and submit to the Secretary of State an energy conservation report identifying energy conservation measures, which it considers practicable, cost-effective and likely to result in a significant improvement in the energy efficiency of all residential accommodation in its area.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Link to the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995's page at DEFRA, where yearly reports on the energy efficiency of local councils can be found: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/publicsector/localauth/heca95/index.htm