Shepway Failing on Energy Efficiency

Shepway Council is amongst the 14 worst performing councils in the south East on achieving energy efficiency improvements in line with government targets, according to a recent report. Out of 67 Local Authorities in the South East, Shepway are the 52nd worst performers. Nearby local authorities Dover, Ashford, Thanet and Canterbury all performed better.

Under a ten-year old law sponsored by then Liberal Democrat MP Diana Maddock, councils have to ensure that energy use in households in their area reduces by 30% by 2010. This means improving energy efficiency by 2% a year if they are to meet the deadline.

But the majority of local authorities across the South East are set to miss the target. Latest figures published by the Department of the Environment, Fisheries and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) show that only 17 out of the 67 councils in the South East are currently on course (see figures below).

Lib Dems have criticised the recent decision by housing minister Yvette Cooper to go easy on builders by cancelling stricter energy requirements through measures such as better roof insulation on refurbished homes, and delay standards for new homes until next year.

The Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA), which originated as a Private Member's Bill, sponsored by Baroness Diana Maddock (then an MP), places an obligation on local authorities to reduce domestic energy consumption in their area by 30% over 15 years. The objectives of the Act are to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and hence help to combat climate change, while also reducing fuel poverty. To be on target for a 30% improvement in household energy levels, councils should now be achieving a 16% improvement over 1996.

Below are the latest DEFRA energy efficiency figures for every local council in the South East. See www.defra.gov.uk/environment/energy/heca95 for further information

Authority Overall percentage improvement in domestic energy efficiency (01/04/96 - 31/03.2004)- As reported:

Reigate & Banstead 3.7

Elmbridge 4.5

Arun 7.3

West Oxfordshire 7.4

Horsham 7.8

Rushmoor 8

Portsmouth 8.5

Spelthorne 8.5

Basingstoke & Deane 8.7

Fareham 9.1

Vale Of White Horse 9.2

West Berkshire 9.7

Chichester 9.8

Mole Valley 9.8

Shepway 9.9

Eastbourne 10.1

Hastings 10.3

Wokingham 10.3

Sevenoaks 10.5

Epsom & Ewell 10.6

Brighton & Hove 11.1

Cherwell 11.1

Rother 11.1

South Oxfordshire 11.2

Eastleigh 12.3

Waverley 12.5

Dover 12.6

Ashford 12.7

Isle Of Wight 12.9

Reading 12.9

Guildford 13

Southampton 13

Winchester 13.3

Gosport 13.4

Mid Sussex 13.7

Aylesbury Vale 13.9

Tunbridge Wells 13.9

Adur 14

Wealden 14.1

Thanet 14.3

Hart 14.5

Worthing 14.5

Dartford 14.7

Chiltern 14.8

Havant 15

Crawley 15.4

Tandridge 15.5

East Hampshire 15.6

South Bucks 15.9

Gravesham 16.3

Windsor & Maidenhead 16.5

Milton Keynes 17

Slough 17.2

Wycombe 17.3

Medway 17.5

Surrey Heath 17.5

Test Valley 17.8

Lewes 18

Maidstone 18.3

Tonbridge & Malling 18.5

Oxford 20.2

New Forest 20.6

Canterbury 21.2

Swale 25.2

Woking 25.9

Bracknell Forest 26

Runnymede 26.8