Download LGA update on energy, fuel poverty and climate local

LGA update on energy, fuel
poverty and climate local
Insert date
www.local.gov.uk
Energy and local government
• Energy as part of national infrastructure:
– Councils need stability and the confidence to
invest long term
– Important role for councils in local decisions on
energy infrastructure
• Scope for councils to reduce their costs
through reducing energy use in buildings and
the wider council estate
• Locally energy companies - e.g Cornwall
devolution work, Nottingham, Bristol,
Southend
• Lobbying government on policy gaps:
- Domestic energy efficiency – where next after
Green Deal and ECO
- Making sense of new regulations for the private
rented sector
DECC priorities - 1
From Departmental business plan 2015-2020
Objective:
• Keep energy bills as low as possible for
households and businesses
Action:
• Reduce subsidies and cost of ECO
• Insulate a million homes by 2020
• Target energy efficiency at those most in need
DECC 2 – reducing carbon
Commitments include action to decarbonise
heating supplies
• Plans expected later this year on meeting
carbon target
• Also – investment in local heat infrastructure
and renewable heat incentive
Opportunities to influence
Nationally
National and local
• DECC select committee on
home energy efficiency and
energy demand
• Consultation on
replacement for ECO
• Making the case for savings
in health
• Ambitions for increased
house building/regeneration
Fuel poverty – LGA view
• We need investment in energy efficiency to reduce
energy bills in the long term
• Councils are best placed to lead and commission
local work to tackle fuel poverty – they should have
control of ECO and other funding
• Green Deal and ECO are too complex.
Replacements need to be easier for councils and
residents to access
www.local.gov.uk
Climate local – next steps
• Climate Local national conference 22 March
2016
• Current arrangement between the
Environment Agency and LGA comes to an
end in March
• Working on legacy and next steps, details to
be announced later this month
Opportunities to influence
• DECC select committee into home energy
efficiency and demand reduction
LGA guide for councillors and
officers