Consultation Responses

This consultation sought views on proposals for the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO), focusing on energy efficiency in existing domestic and non-domestic buildings.

Local authority members continue to give cross Party support and a commitment to improving energy efficiency, tackling fuel poverty and addressing the causes of climate change. The Association broadly welcomed the principles behind the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation.

The Association's response highlighted the following key issues:

• The role of civic and local leadership plays an important part in moving to a low carbon economy regarding influencing and informing public attitudes.
• The Association suggests that there appears to be little evidence that large-scale private funding will be available for Green Deal on favourable terms from 2013, indicating that there is a vital role for local authorities to help establish the market and facilitate private sector activity. Whilst it is understood that DECC wish to see pathfinder local authorities take a leadership role in the Green Deal, it is highlighted that this is not given sufficient emphasis in the consultation.
• Investing in the energy efficiency of housing can help stimulate the labour market and economy. The Association expressed concern that the Impact Assessment suggests the predicted number of measures to be implemented by 2015 through Green Deal is greatly reduced against current delivery levels. This risks major job losses for many insulation companies in the North East if the predicted, ambitious immediate levels of installations via Green Deal do not materialise.
• The fuel poverty rate in the North East is 24%, and the Association highlighted the need to ensure further increases are prevented. Consequently the Association suggested that ECO needs to set more ambitious targets of removing people from fuel poverty, as the current proposals could be regressive, with disproportionate effects on the North East due to its equity issues.
• In light of this, the Association urged the Government to be more ambitious and revise the definition of eligibility for ECO as the current definition encompasses only a minority of the fuel poor and vulnerable homes.
• The response highlights that many of the measures eligible under Green Deal are less relevant for predominantly urban areas on the gas mains network. Whilst they will benefit rural counties, the response urges the Government to consider widening the inclusion of other measures that will be of direct benefit to urban dwellings.