By Cllr Rob White
Before the energy price hike it was estimated that more than 7,000 households in Reading were already in fuel poverty, struggling to make ends meet.
Since energy prices went up that number will have grown substantially.
And with yet another increase in the energy price cap due in October, that number is forecast to grow even more.
It’s clear that the impact on ordinary people is devastating.
Sadly, we face an unprecedented period of rising bills and energy shortages with a Conservative government that’s clearly not fit for purpose and a local Labour-run council that is out of its depth.
Labour-run Reading Borough Council sent £500,000 of insulation money back unspent…
You might think that Labour-run Reading Council would be on top of issues around fuel poverty as it impacts on the most vulnerable members of society. You’d be wrong.
It emerged earlier this year that Reading Council returned £495,000 that was provided to it under the government’s Green Homes Grant scheme. This was money that should have been used to fund the insulation of leaky homes, money that should have been used to lower the energy bills of some of Reading’s most vulnerable residents.
But it wasn’t.
It was returned with a note that Reading Council were “unable to take advantage” of this money.
The root of this failure was a lack of capacity in Reading Council’s housing team.
Green councillors will keep campaigning to make Reading fairer, greener and cleaner, help us make a difference
Greens have long been campaigning for more capacity in the housing team for tackling fuel poverty and cutting carbon.
Unfortunately, we have been repeatedly voted down by Labour councillors.
In the short term the government needs to step in and support people with paying their spiralling energy bills.
At the same time we need massive government investment insulating homes and generating more renewable electricity. This will cut energy usage, bills and carbon.
If we are to navigate the challenges of the next few years, we need effective Green policies led by Green councillors.
Get involved and help us make Reading fairer, greener and cleaner: https://reading.greenparty.org.uk/get-involved/ or 07985 923 938
By Green councillor Rob White, leader of the main opposition group on Reading Borough Council and Park ward councillor
