Council Notes
1. Household energy bills are increasing year on year, while the effective income of households is flat lining or decreasing.
2. A recent report by moneysupermarket.com has shown that 5 of the “Big 6” energy providers (npower, E.ON, Scottish Power, SSE and EDF) have announced price rises for those on standard variable tariffs.
3. 66% of energy customers are on standard variable tariffs according to Ofgem, with most of those having never switched suppliers.
4. The average price rise in 2017 is £96.95 leaving the average annual energy bill at £1258.55.
5. Many other local authorities successfully run similar collective energy switch schemes.
6. An all-Wales scheme, Cyd Cymru Wales Together, already exists (https://cydcymru-collective.com/)
7. In the Wellbeing assessment undertaken by Powys it found that 16% of households are in fuel poverty, defined as a household that spends at least 10% of their income on fuel.
8. A 2008 report found that in Mid Wales 34.9% of households were in fuel poverty.
9. Over half of households in Powys aren’t connected to the gas network, therefore relying on oil and solid fuel which have a much higher cost to the consumer.
10. Ceredigion run successful “Fuel clubs”, where communities bulk buy oil for heating.
Council Resolves
1. That Council believes that
a. It must do as much as it can to help residents in fuel poverty to mitigate this situation;
b. Residents of Powys would benefit greatly from reduced energy bills through a Powys County Council run collective energy switch scheme;
c. The authority can join in with other authorities and organisations in Wales through the Cyd Cymru scheme;
d. The Ceredigion run schemes provide a best practice model for the running of such fuel clubs;
e. The authority can exert its power of collective bargaining for both dual fuel and oil purchasing schemes
2. To instruct officers to explore the feasibility of implementing its own or joining the Cyd Cymru scheme.
3. To instruct officers to explore the feasibility of implementing an oil purchasing scheme across Powys.
4. To work with local housing associations, Powys Teaching Health Board, voluntary groups, care homes and households across Powys to increase awareness and encourage them to sign up to these schemes
Proposer: County Councillor Huw
Williams
Seconder: County Councillor Sarah Williams
Minutes:
County Councillor Roger Williams declared a pecuniary interest as he participated in energy buying schemes.
Council debated the following notice of motion proposed by County Councillor Huw Williams and seconded by County Councillor Sarah Williams.
Council Notes
1. Household energy bills are increasing year on year, while the effective income of households is flat lining or decreasing.
2. A recent report by moneysupermarket.com has shown that 5 of the “Big 6” energy providers (npower, E.ON, Scottish Power, SSE and EDF) have announced price rises for those on standard variable tariffs.
3. 66% of energy customers are on standard variable tariffs according to Ofgem, with most of those having never switched suppliers.
4. The average price rise in 2017 is £96.95 leaving the average annual energy bill at £1258.55.
5. Many other local authorities successfully run similar collective energy switch schemes.
6. An all-Wales scheme, Cyd Cymru Wales Together, already exists (https://cydcymru-collective.com/)
7. In the Wellbeing assessment undertaken by Powys it found that 16% of households are in fuel poverty, defined as a household that spends at least 10% of their income on fuel.
8. A 2008 report found that in Mid Wales 34.9% of households were in fuel poverty.
9. Over half of households in Powys aren’t connected to the gas network, therefore relying on oil and solid fuel which have a much higher cost to the consumer.
10. Ceredigion run successful “Fuel clubs”, where communities bulk buy oil for heating.
Council Resolves
1. That Council believes that
a. It must do as much as it can to help residents in fuel poverty to mitigate this situation;
b. Residents of Powys would benefit greatly from reduced energy bills through a Powys County Council run collective energy switch scheme;
c. The authority can join in with other authorities and organisations in Wales through the Cyd Cymru scheme;
d. The Ceredigion run schemes provide a best practice model for the running of such fuel clubs;
e. The authority can exert its power of collective bargaining for both dual fuel and oil purchasing schemes
2. To instruct officers to explore the feasibility of implementing its own or joining the Cyd Cymru scheme.
3. To instruct officers to explore the feasibility of implementing an oil purchasing scheme across Powys.
4. To work with local housing associations, Powys Teaching Health Board, voluntary groups, care homes and households across Powys to increase awareness and encourage them to sign up to these schemes.
County Councillor Aled Davies proposed an amendment seconded by County Councillor Myfanwy Alexander to parts 2 and 3 of the motion replacing the words “To instruct officers …” with “To ask the Anti-Poverty Champion and the Anti-Poverty Group …”
Council voted on the amendment and pass it by 39 votes to 2 with 1 abstention. The amendment became the substantive motion and by 44 votes to 0 Council
RESOLVED
1. That Council believes that it must do as much as it can to help residents in fuel poverty to mitigate this situation;
a) Residents of Powys would benefit greatly from reduced energy bills through a Powys County Council run collective energy switch scheme;
b) The authority can join in with other authorities and organisations in Wales through the Cyd Cymru scheme;
c) The Ceredigion run schemes provide a best practice model for the running of such fuel clubs;
d) The authority can exert its power of collective bargaining for both dual fuel and oil purchasing schemes
2. To ask the Anti-Poverty Champion and the Anti-Poverty Group to explore the feasibility of implementing its own or joining the Cyd Cymru scheme.
3. To ask the Anti-Poverty Champion and the Anti-Poverty Group to explore the feasibility of implementing an oil purchasing scheme across Powys.
4. To work with local housing associations, Powys Teaching Health Board, voluntary groups, care homes and households across Powys to increase awareness and encourage them to sign up to these schemes.
County Councillors Heulwen Hulme and Hywel Lewis left the meeting at 15.57.