Home energy boost for Llanelli
Carmarthenshire County Council has secured £2million to provide home energy improvements in parts of south Llanelli.
The funding will allow the council’s housing department to run a pilot scheme in the Glanymor area.
Approximately £1.5million has been provided by British Gas, and a further £500,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Arbed initiative to run the Community Energy Savings Programme (CESP).
The programme, created by the Government, requires gas and electricity suppliers to deliver energy saving measures to domestic consumers in specific low income areas.
Approximately 600 private and public sector properties in the Glanymor area will be potentially be targeted, with energy efficiency measures including external wall insulation, cavity and loft insulation and up-to-date energy efficient central heating systems.
It is hoped that the pilot will lead to further schemes and funding for other areas of the county that qualify.
Head of housing , Robin Staines, said: “We have been addressing fuel poverty and energy efficiency since 2005, with the launch of our Affordable Warmth strategy.
“As well as improving the energy efficiency of 8,000 council-owned homes, we have also been active in trying to secure funding to improve the energy efficiency of owner-occupied homes – to date we have helped improve over 2,000 homes.
“This funding will allow us to engage with even more households and hopefully to make improvements which will benefit their health and their pockets.”
The last private sector stock condition survey showed that homes in Carmarthenshire have a lower level of energy efficiency than the Welsh average.
Current estimates suggest that as many as 25 per cent of households in the county are in fuel poverty – but these figures may increase as fuel prices rise.
This can have a range of negative impacts on health, including a heightened risk of respiratory infestion, depression and anxiety.
Households spending more on fuel costs will also have less money to spend on other essential goods, such as food, which can also have an impact on health.
Cllr Hugh Evans, executive board member for housing, said: “Our officers worked hard to secure this funding, and we are very pleased to have been chosen to pilot this programme in an area of Llanelli that is classed as one of the most at risk of fuel poverty.”
The funding will allow the council’s housing department to run a pilot scheme in the Glanymor area.
Approximately £1.5million has been provided by British Gas, and a further £500,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Arbed initiative to run the Community Energy Savings Programme (CESP).
The programme, created by the Government, requires gas and electricity suppliers to deliver energy saving measures to domestic consumers in specific low income areas.
Approximately 600 private and public sector properties in the Glanymor area will be potentially be targeted, with energy efficiency measures including external wall insulation, cavity and loft insulation and up-to-date energy efficient central heating systems.
It is hoped that the pilot will lead to further schemes and funding for other areas of the county that qualify.
Head of housing , Robin Staines, said: “We have been addressing fuel poverty and energy efficiency since 2005, with the launch of our Affordable Warmth strategy.
“As well as improving the energy efficiency of 8,000 council-owned homes, we have also been active in trying to secure funding to improve the energy efficiency of owner-occupied homes – to date we have helped improve over 2,000 homes.
“This funding will allow us to engage with even more households and hopefully to make improvements which will benefit their health and their pockets.”
The last private sector stock condition survey showed that homes in Carmarthenshire have a lower level of energy efficiency than the Welsh average.
Current estimates suggest that as many as 25 per cent of households in the county are in fuel poverty – but these figures may increase as fuel prices rise.
This can have a range of negative impacts on health, including a heightened risk of respiratory infestion, depression and anxiety.
Households spending more on fuel costs will also have less money to spend on other essential goods, such as food, which can also have an impact on health.
Cllr Hugh Evans, executive board member for housing, said: “Our officers worked hard to secure this funding, and we are very pleased to have been chosen to pilot this programme in an area of Llanelli that is classed as one of the most at risk of fuel poverty.”
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