FUNDING FEARS FOR GRANTS TACKLING FUEL POVERTY (Julia Goldsworthy)

Julia Goldsworthy <info@juliagoldsworthy.org>

FUNDING FEARS FOR GRANTS TACKLING FUEL POVERTY

July 2, 2007 12:00 AM

Local MP Julia Goldsworthy has called on the new Chancellor, Alistair Darling MP, to support the Warm Front Scheme in the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review. Ms Goldsworthy fears that any cuts in the budget will impact hardest on those living in rural areas like Cornwall.

Warm Front is a grant funded programme for tackling fuel poverty and can provide a package of insulation and heating tailored to individual properties. However, Ms Goldsworthy recently called a meeting with the Managing Director of Eaga, the organisation responsible for implementing the scheme as concerns have been raised that despite high levels of fuel poverty in the county there appears to be relatively low take-up in Cornwall. A lack of installers within the county had also led to a filing of complaints from constituents who had received a poor service from other providers.

At the meeting, representatives from Eaga agreed to do more to increase awareness of the programme in Cornwall, but also raised concerns that the scheme could be set to lose out at the next Spending Review.

Ms Goldsworthy has written to the Chancellor, highlighting that fuel poverty continues to be a significant problem in Cornwall and much more needs to be done to help families struggling to stay warm.

Commenting, Ms Goldsworthy said:

"Many people in the area continue to live in fuel poverty and it is very concerning to hear that the Government may be considering reducing the funding given to the Warm Front Scheme - if they do, people in Cornwall will be the first to lose out.

"Cornwall is currently leading the way in terms of tackling fuel poverty with environmentally friendly technology such as solar panels and more is being done to help local heating engineers become approved installers. It would be a terrible blow for this important work to be undermined by funding cuts.

"Take-up of the Warm Front scheme in the county appears to be rather low and I want to work with Eaga to ensure that assistance is available to all those who need it. I know that some people have had bad experiences with Warm Front, in terms of delays in getting the work done and I raised this with the Managing Director. It is clear that for people to participate in the scheme, they have to have confidence in it and I pressed the point that Eaga need to work harder to improve their reputation.

"Eaga agreed to work with all of Cornwall's MPs to identify particular problems and ensure that more people can benefit from the scheme."