Congleton Borough Council Missing Energy Targets - Davey

11.05.41am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 3rd Aug 2005

Congleton borough council is struggling to bring about energy efficiency

improvements in line with government targets, says local campaigner Simon Davey.

Councils have to ensure that household energy efficiency levels are raised

by 2% a year if they are to meet the 2010 deadline for improvement. But

local councils are lagging behind, and according to new government figures

the majority of local authorities across the North West are set to miss the

target. (SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS OF EACH LOCAL AUTHORITY)

Latest figures published this month by the Department of the Environment,

Fisheries and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) show that only 10 out of 43 councils in

the North West are currently on course.

Congleton Borough Council has had a total energy efficiency improvement of 8.8%

since 1996. To be on target councils should now be achieving a 16%

improvement.

The results are bad news both for local householders and for the

environment, Simon Davey has warned.

Euro-MP Chris Davies, the Liberal Democrat spokesman on the environment in the

European Parliament, says that councils should be given greater financial or

legal incentives to take action, which would cut fuel bills for individuals

and help in the fight against global warming.

He said: "The Government should speed up the pace by offering significant

financial rewards to those that meet them ahead of schedule. Increasing

energy efficiency in domestic homes is one of the most effective ways of

tackling climate change and reducing energy demand."

The Liberal Democrat MEP says the government's decision to ditch plans to

force house builders to improve energy efficiency, using measures such as

better roof insulation, is another example of lack of commitment to tackle

global warming. Earlier this month the housing minister, Yvette Cooper,

decided to cancel stricter energy requirements on refurbished homes and

delayed standards for new homes until next year.

Mr Davies said: "Tony Blair talks about Britain leading the fight against

climate change, yet his government is rejecting essential measures urgently

needed to reduce global warming gases. While part of the government is

calling for action, others parts are weakening the commitment. This is not

a good example of joined up thinking."

Council Improvements in energy efficiency, 01/04/96 to 31/03/04 (%)

Allerdale Borough 10.73

Barrow-in-Furness Borough 14.33

Blackburn with Darwen Borough 8.47

Blackpool Borough 3.97

Bolton Metropolitan Borough 15.0

Burnley Borough 15.17

Bury Metropolitan Borough 15.18

Carlisle City 16.92

Chester City 26.28

Chorley Borough 10.35

Congleton Borough 8.76

Copeland Borough 19.25

Crewe and Nantwich Borough 6.46

Eden District 6.07

Ellesmere Port & Neston Borough 13.6

Fylde Borough 8.8

Halton Borough 13.97

Hyndburn Borough 17.6

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough 18.04

Lancaster City 12.25

Liverpool City Council 19.34

Macclesfield Borough 14.9

Manchester City 14.27

Oldham Metropolitan Borough 17.35

Pendle Borough 7.23

Preston Borough 21.1

Ribble Valley Borough 15.73

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough 10.05

Rossendale Borough 12.38

Salford City 17.99

Sefton Metropolitan Borough 10.93

South Lakeland District 9.8

South Ribble Borough 10.18

St Helens Metropolitan Borough 24.2

Stockport Metropolitan Borough 8.8

Tameside Metropolitan Borough 9.86

Trafford Metropolitan Borough 11.71

Vale Royal Borough 12.29

Warrington Borough 13.75

West Lancashire District 8.93

Wigan Metropolitan Borough 15.1

Wirral Metropolitan Borough 12.06

Wyre Borough 6.98

North West Average 13.2

To be on target for a 30% improvement in household energy levels, councils

should now be achieving a 16% improvement from 1996.