Wiltshire Council commits to keeping homes warmer
The authority's asking the Government for extra funding
A scheme to help keep Wiltshire homes warmer and more energy efficient could be stepped up in the county.
The Council's bidding for around £13 million of funding from the Government.
It follows money that's already going towards a project to 'retrofit' 86 Wiltshire homes with energy efficiency measures like air source heat pumps, solar panels and wall or loft insulation.
They're due to be completed by the end of March.
Any new funding would begin from April and would be in place to support households that:
• Are of low income
• Have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) between D and G
• Are privately owned (owner occupied or privately rented)
Wiltshire Council estimates there could be around 13,500 households eligible for improvement in Wiltshire under the scheme.
Cllr Dominic Muns, Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste, said:
“Following on from the successful implementation of the Home Upgrade Grant scheme, which is rolling out across the county as we speak, the next logical step forward for us is to commit to this even bigger scheme. The Warm Homes: Local Grant Scheme has the potential to support many more homes to be as energy efficient, warm and safe as possible and it’s an opportunity we can’t miss.
“The decision by Cabinet to agree to go ahead means we can start to get everything lined up so that we hit the ground running as soon as we get the go-ahead from government.”
Wiltshire Council expects to hear back from government on its application for funding in the coming weeks.