End Fuel Poverty camapign

Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing Bob Smytherman has today called on his Tory opposite number to act now on fuel poverty.  Figures released last week indicated one in four households are now living in fuel poverty.  Fuel poverty is defined as households spending over 10% of income on energy – more than five million households are having to do so.

The Green Deal under which every home will be able to install packages of energy saving technologies such as insulation at no upfront cost does not start to next year – too late for the coming winter. That is why Bob is today calling on Cabinet Member Tom Wye to act now and will question him at the next Council meeting on December 13th on what progress he has made since the Fuel Poverty report was agreed a year ago

Bob said: “Worthing residents suffering in fuel poverty do not deserve to wait to next year before that suffering is relieved. That is why I am today calling on the Cabinet Member to act now – indeed I hope and trust he already has taken action.  I will be rigorously questioning the Cabinet Member at Council on that action or lack of it.  As we enter winter those suffering deserve nothing less.”

Bob who is a member of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition is backing a UK wide campaign called ‘Surviving Winter’ allowing those who don’t need it to donate their Winter Fuel Payment to help the fuel poor.

“The campaign is being co-ordinated by community foundations across the UK and I will be urging the Cabinet Member to promote this throughout Worthing to raise awareness of this fantastic scheme.” said Bob

Bob Smytherman Chaired the Worthing & Adur Fuel Poverty review that was presented to the Council last winter and this is the link to full report and recommendations that were agreed by both Councils.

http://www.worthing.gov.uk/your-council/decision-makingcabinetcommitteeinformation/joint-overview-and-scrutiny-committee/18november2010/pdffile,76173,en.pdf

The UK wide campaign called ‘Surviving Winter’ allowing those who don’t need it to donate their Winter Fuel Payment back to help the fuel poor. It is being co-ordinated by community foundations across the UK.

For more information please see http://www.communityfoundations.org.uk/about/survivingwinter

Bob has submitted evidence to the inquiry on fuel poverty in the private rented and off grid sectors by the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change select committee