Partner Article

South Tyneside successful in energy funding

South Tyneside Homes, the Council’s housing company, has won funding from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to finance outreach training; and to raise energy awareness amongst the most financially vulnerable members of the community.

The company submitted a bid once they heard of DECC’s announcement that it was making monies available to suitable organisations as part of the “Big Energy Saving Network” initiative - to fund energy awareness outreach training for vulnerable customers in the community. The company has been successfully awarded £4700.

Each successful bidder has to nominate a Network Champion to receive training from National Energy Action (NEA). They will then be responsible for rolling out training to colleagues in the company to in turn pass on energy awareness information to the wider community.

South Tyneside Homes nominated Home Energy Efficiency Energy Officer, Bridget Edwards from its Development Team as its Network Champion. Bridget has many years of experience in providing this type of advice to the public, and has worked as an NVQ assessor for NEA in the past.

Councillor Jim Foreman, the Lead Member for Housing and Transport and also a Board Member for South Tyneside Homes, said: “I am delighted this funding bid was successful.

“There has been a great deal in the news recently about major hikes in fuel prices, which means it is more important than ever before that people in the borough, who are feeling this financial strain, are given the optimum information on how to save money on their energy bills. I am confident the initiative will be a great help towards achieving this objective.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by South Tyneside Council .