Agenda item

The Chairman of the Fuel Poverty Task Group, Councillor R. Hunter, presented the group’s final report.

Cabinet was informed that at the start of the review there had already been 5,000 households living in fuel poverty in Bromsgrove and, based on reports from Act on Energy of recent increases in requests for help and support, it was likely that this number was growing.  The Fuel Poverty Task Group had obtained evidence from a range of expert witnesses representing both the Council and external organisations and the group’s recommendations were based on the evidence that had been gathered.  These recommendations were ready to be implemented and this action would be timely. 

During consideration of this item, Members noted that the Overview and Scrutiny Board had considered the Fuel Poverty Task Group’s report at a meeting held on 21^st November 2022.  The Board had endorsed the recommendations subject to a minor change to recommendation 6, to require that the Cabinet should actively explore all external funding options available to the Council to support Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) groups.

Reference was also made to recommendation 2, which proposed that a poster or booklet should be produced containing a simple guide to the support that was available in the community.  Members commented that a leaflet on this subject had already been introduced and it contained useful information for the benefit of local residents.

In considering the report, Cabinet concluded by thanking the Members who had served on the Fuel Poverty Task Group.  Expert witnesses, including the Head of Community and Housing Services, were also thanked for attending meetings and submitting evidence.

RESOLVED that

1)          The Council ensures its webpages are up to date and takes a proactive

approach in promoting the various areas of support (including an up to date list of Warm Hubs/Spaces and support provided by local libraries in the District) available through as many different mediums as possible. For example, through its social media account and by learning from the best practice approaches used by other Councils;

2)          A poster or booklet is created which includes a simple straight forward

guide to all the various areas of support – this should be accessible in local buildings such as the libraries and Councillors provided with copies to hand out to residents or distribute for display on noticeboards;

3)          Councillors are provided with the contact details of Act on Energy and

encouraged to proactively liaise with the outreach workers to ensure access to support is readily available to residents within their Wards;

4)          The Bromsgrove Partnership, supported by the Council, takes a lead

role in the collection of high quality intelligence/data to ensure that the

Council’s partners can target their interventions where support is most

needed;

5)          the Bromsgrove Partnership (with input from all District Councillors

and/or relevant Parish Councils) take a lead role in co-ordinating

appropriate support, to ensure it is readily available for residents throughout the whole district, for example this could mean the provision of a Warm Hub/Space and the facilities offered by the local libraries; and

6)          the Cabinet actively explores all external funding options (for example the UK Shared Prosperity Fund) available to the Council in order to ensure that, if needed, it is able to provide financial support to VCS organisations throughout the district in providing the support detailed in recommendation 5 above.