Mansfield residents to benefit from winter warmer grant

A total of 14 district and borough councils in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire secured the grant, which will be used to help residents make their homes more energy efficient and cheaper to heat.

The grant was secured by an established partnership of local authorities across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire (the Local Authorities Energy Partnership), which applied for funding through a national competition run by the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

The successful bid was led by Derbyshire County Council and supported by Nottinghamshire County Council, with the funding to be shared between 14 district and borough councils across the counties.

In Mansfield, a grant of £152,570 will help to:

Target and support private households in fuel poverty through practical measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation, G-rated boiler replacements, draft proofing and loft insulation, before 31 March 2013 (available for over 60s, those who have certain health issues or who spend over 10% of their income on fuel).

Provide a ‘Refurb Roadshow’ will see a House on Wheels in Mansfield Market Square on 7 March during Climate Week, showing people how to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

Deliver a stakeholder conference bringing together public and third sector agencies to see how they can best work together to help vulnerable households access available support to keep warm in winter.

The Councils were awarded the third largest grant in the UK, despite stiff competition and a significantly oversubscribed fund, demonstrating the advantage of working in partnership for the benefit of all local residents.

Funding will assist residents to keep warm and well this winter and will help establish an effective way of promoting and financing the cost-saving benefits of energy efficiency home improvements in the future.

Coun Philip Shields, portfolio holder for the environment, said: “The grant secured through the Local Authorities Energy Partnership is excellent news for Mansfield residents. With energy prices rising, it is important we do all we can to help our most vulnerable within the community and this grant will allow us to help our residents to save money on their energy bills and stay warm and well in winter.”