A Green Party member of Calderdale Council is advocating for the establishment of a dedicated partnership to improve energy efficiency across tens of thousands of older properties in the borough.
When the full council convenes next week, members are expected to consider a proposal put forward by Green Party councillor Jamie Furlong that calls for the creation of such a partnership.
Councillor Furlong, who represents Todmorden West, argues that upgrading older properties to make them significantly more energy efficient represents one of the most effective approaches to addressing fuel poverty.
Calderdale contains a substantial proportion of historic private housing, with approximately half of all private residences in the borough having been constructed more than a century ago.
Thousands of these properties feature solid stone walls and are susceptible to cold draughts and elevated heating expenses, a matter previously highlighted during council discussions held earlier this year.
A pilot programme valued at £1.2 million, delivered in collaboration with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, was carried out under the preceding Labour administration.
This initiative focused on enhancing 22 properties in the Boothtown area of Halifax through the installation of wall and loft insulation together with ventilation systems.
Earlier presentations to councillors indicated that Calderdale confronts the task of elevating more than 69,000 residences across the borough to an Energy Performance Certificate rating of C or superior.
This entails the installation of insulation, ventilation measures, and renewable energy systems including heat pumps and solar panels, a process collectively termed retrofitting.
The proposal tabled by Councillor Furlong requests that the council formulate an extensive retrofit strategy and investigate the creation of a Calderdale Retrofit Partnership to advance this endeavour.
Such a partnership should unite training organisations, local companies, retrofit specialists, housing providers, health sector partners and community groups to facilitate implementation of the strategy, according to the motion.
Engagement with training providers should aim to expand the availability of retrofit qualifications, investigate funding possibilities for training programmes and consider establishing a retrofit skills centre, the proposal states.
Local supply chains should be nurtured to guarantee that qualified regional contractors can deliver high-quality retrofitting work, the motion continues.
The proposal additionally calls for the creation of a dedicated Retrofit Funding Officer post to determine potential sources of grant funding for schemes.
Councillor Furlong recognises that considerable financial pressures affecting local authorities constrain their capacity to independently finance substantial programmes of this nature.
Councillor Furlong is also requesting that the Leader of the Council, Dan Sutherland of Reform UK representing Illingworth and Mixenden, correspond with the Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to request an additional allocation of Warm Homes Local Grant funding.
The promotion of support and guidance concerning retrofitting should also be undertaken, with the council invited to investigate the creation of a Calderdale Retrofit One Stop Shop facility for this purpose.
Assistance with retrofitting should be concentrated on households most exposed to fuel poverty, encompassing those on low incomes, vulnerable individuals and occupants of properties that are difficult to heat efficiently, the motion specifies.
The council meeting is scheduled to commence at 6pm at Halifax Town Hall on Wednesday, September 23, with proceedings also available via the council’s webcast service.