Transition Stroud meet last night and energy prices up 27%

I have scribbled some notes on the Transition Blog - see here - about the meeting last night.

Photo: last nights meeting

I've missed the last couple as they are on Thursday nights - the same night as both Parish Councils, the Scrutiny committee I sit on and both Full Council and Cabinet - only if all those fall on different Thursdays can I go to this - although the sub-group, the Business and Government group meet during the day and of course other Transition meetings happen at other times...anyhow I haven't got much to add other than todays' news that energy prices look set to soar 27%.....

More than 4m households with Npower - the UK's fourth largest energy supplier - will see gas prices hiked by up to 23.8%, while electricity bills will increase by up to 27.1%. Other power companies look set to follow with similar rises. The wholesale costs for gas had increased by 66% since February 2007, while the cost of electricity had risen by 66%.

This is bad news for poor who are already struggling to make ends meet. Such price increases will push many thousands more older people into fuel poverty.

Siân Berry, the Green party's Mayoral candidate, in response has urged Londoners to vote for her plan to provide free insulation to every London home that needs it. She said: "As oil and gas get scarcer, we can expect to see more and more rises in the cost of heating....There's no excuse in a 21st century city for having widespread fuel poverty, with people having to pay huge chunks of their income just trying to keep warm. There's no excuse for winter deaths of elderly Londoners who could have been saved by something as simple as loft insulation. And there's no excuse for government failure to cut CO2 emissions, or for their willingness to blame ordinary people instead of their own inaction. Under my plan, every single home in London that needs insulation will get it, free of charge. This will slash fuel bills, making London living more affordable and healthier. We'll also put a real dent in our carbon footprint and help to ensure a future for our kids. 40% of London's CO2 emissions come from housing, and more than 1 in 20 Londoners have to spend over 10 per cent of their income trying to keep warm. Fuel poverty like that belongs in Dickens' London, not ours. That's why, as Mayor, I would provide free insulation to every London home that needs it."

Londoners on benefits qualify for free insulation under measures introduced by the Green Assembly Members as a condition of their support for the Mayor's budget. Siân's scheme will remove this means testing, as well as introducing a comprehensive outreach programme to encourage take-up. This is similar to what Greens have already achieved in Kirklees where there is now a programme and funding to insulate every home there. The Green AMs have also secured funding to pilot detailed help with paperwork for householders in Lewisham who wish to insulate their homes and generate their own power; Siân will extend this service city-wide, and make low-cost loans available to pay for small-scale renewable energy generation on homes and businesses.

I have repeatedly suggested such a move to Stroud District - we are still waiting to hear their response.