Agenda item

(a)       That a further, detailed report about Energy Switching Schemes be submitted to the committee within 3 months; and

(b)       That a marketing plan be produced and submitted to the committee within 3 months.

The Head of Assets and Transportation introduced the report which was compiled in response to a Council resolution passed in January 2013 to bring a report on Energy Switching schemes to a meeting of the Committee.

Collective energy switching models allowed residents to register online via a web based auction system and a specialist company would then bid for the best deals from energy suppliers.  Officers had recently held discussions with South Lakeland District Council to ascertain whether Flintshire should get involved in a bulk switching scheme ran by iChoosr. The iChoosr Bulk Purchase Scheme was available for electric and gas mains (where available) customers but did not accommodate pre payment customers.

Councillor N.M. Matthews thanked the Head of Assets and Transportation for the report.  She said that there were a number of online energy comparison websites and that the Council should support the scheme.  She asked if the Council intended to send a representative to the National Energy Action Cymru Conference in Llandudno on 21 March 2013.  The Head of Assets and Transportation confirmed that a staff member was due to attend and that they would report back to the Committee.  He added that there was a great deal of apathy with customers about energy websites and some customers were not comfortable in changing supplier.

Councillor C.J. Dolphin voiced his disappointment at the lack of progress to date on this matter and that the support of the Council was pivotal to the success of any local energy switching scheme.  The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member For Environment said that the Council would do all it could to assist with this scheme and was concerned that 90% of people in fuel poverty had pre payment meters which made them ineligible to join the scheme.

Councillor J. Johnson asked if residents in Flintshire could join schemes in other areas, such as Liverpool.  The Head of Assets and Transportation said that this was feasible.

Councillor C. Hinds asked how vulnerable people without home computers could register for the scheme.  The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment said that advertisements could be placed in the Housing News, the Council Newspaper, local press and posters in libraries.  Computer facilities were available in libraries and Flintshire Connects offices.

Councillor C.A. Thomas asked if the Energy Manager would meet with Gary Jones in the South Flintshire Housing Office was assisting communities to access gas mains schemes, as many customers in fuel poverty were not on gas mains.  The Energy Manager said that he was due to attend a meeting in the Sealand area, which Gary was due to attend.

The Chair said it was the moral obligation of the Council to be more proactive in this matter, in the light of so many residents struggling financially.

The Committee agreed that a more detailed report was required along with a proactive marketing plan for switching schemes.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That a further, detailed report about Energy Switching Schemes be submitted to the committee within 3 months; and

(b)       That a marketing plan be produced and submitted to the committee within 3 months.