Lib Dem Cambridge leads while Tory Councils fail Home Energy Efficiency Targets (South East Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats)

South East Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats <info@secambslibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dem Cambridge leads while Tory Councils fail Home Energy Efficiency Targets

September 28, 2007 10:48 AM

South Cambs is less energy efficient than two years ago

Latest Home Energy Efficiency figures published by DEFRA show that Tory claims to be the green party are nothing but a farce, with both East Cambs and South Cambs district councils failing badly to meet Government targets, while Lib Dem controlled Cambridge City is top of the 48 councils in the Eastern Region.

In fact Tory controlled South Cambs is so bad that its less energy efficient now than it was two years ago and lies in 40th place, while East Cambs council also Tory run is placed 36th.

The UK 's 21 million homes are responsible for 27% of the country's CO2 emissions - more than that from transport sources.

Under the Home Energy Conservation Act, since 1996 councils have duties to adopt and report annually on conservation measures to achieve a 30% improvement in home energy efficiency over the following 10 to 15 years.

Through a comprehensive programme of education, grants and building standards Cambridge City Council has already achieved nearly a 38% improvement.

Jonathan Chatfield the Lib Dem contender for South East Cambridgeshire in the forthcoming General Election commented:

"These figures clearly show which party is taking climate change seriously and which is just using it as PR spin to grab the green vote. Next week we will hear a lot from the Tory conference about how they take the environment seriously, but the abysmal efforts of its councillors in East and South Cambridgeshire show their true colour and it isn't green."

"All the Lib Dem controlled councils in the East Region are in the top 20 and are above the 19% average."

Lib Dem MP for Cambridge , David Howarth, added:

"Cambridge has been very successful at improving the energy efficiency of its homes through the major improvements to the 8000 council owned properties and efforts to make sure that new developments reach high energy efficiency standards.

"However the Government continues to stand in the way of allowing local authorities like Cambridge to demand even higher standards for renewable energy and energy efficiency from developers in all new developments in the city."