South Tyneside Council has set out steps to make their housing stock more energy efficient, improving the condition of the housing stock and making important steps to reduce the carbon footprint of the housing stock. In 2017/18 a 5 year “Fuel Poverty Plan” was devised, which sets out objectives and actions looking to ensure that:
“Every resident has the ability to maintain a warm house at an affordable cost”
Objectives detailed within this plan are:
Objective 1 – Ensure that all South Tyneside Council properties are energy efficient, and affordable to for residents to heat;
Objective 2 – Ensure all South Tyneside Council properties are free from damp and condensation, making them more energy efficient and leading to better health outcomes for residents;
Objective 3 – Raise awareness of affordable warmth and signpost customers to local and national services and resources who can provide help and advice on reducing energy use and fuel bills;
Objective 4 – Ensure that internal and external partners work together in order to maximise funding opportunities to eradicate fuel poverty in the borough’s housing stock and to help residents and other partners reduce carbon emissions;
Objective 5 – Identify sources of funding to deliver affordable warmth to homes through better energy infrastructure and compliment future planned improvement programmes of work;
Objective 6 – Ensure all of South Tyneside Council’s homes are energy rated at band C and above by 2030.
These objectives and the progress made are reviewed annually to ensure that actions and targets are met and revised to ensure that at the end of the five year plan the objectives have been met. The Fuel Poverty Plan compliments other plans set out in the borough, including the Affordable Warmth Strategy.
