Industry Seminar Celebrates Council’s Energy Efficiency Efforts

Denbighshire County Council’s sector leading experience and partnership approach to renewable energy and energy efficiency has been celebrated and recognised at a seminar arranged by the Association of Public Sector Excellence. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A representative from the Council was invited to the event to talk through the authority’s approach, how it has benefitted local communities and the local economy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The programme has brought in over £5 million to improve the energy performance of houses in Denbighshire, with hundreds of homes improved in West Rhyl, Prestatyn and Upper Denbigh. Through working with partners, the Council has improved the energy efficiency of almost 1,000 homes in the county, offered direct advice and assistance to 109 homes, hosted five community events and supported care agencies to access funding to provide support services. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The work has been deemed to be innovative and an example of best practice for fuel poverty reduction and for project management across Wales. The approach has paid dividends for the environment through improving the energy efficiency of households, reducing fuel poverty, reducing carbon dioxide, as well as providing energy efficiency and changing the behaviour of consumers, to encourage them to become more environmentally friendly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council has assisted unemployed people to receive training and get back to work. The scheme has also supported Bangor University students with field trip placements, assessments and supported Master Degree students through their dissertations. To deliver this the Council partnered with Communities First, Willmott Dixon Energy Services, Citizens Advice Bureau Denbigh, Age Connect North Wales, Nest, Welsh Government, Grwp Llandrillo Menai and Wetherby Building Systems. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Lead Member for the Environment, said: “We were delighted to be able to get involved in this seminar arranged by the Association of Public Service Excellence, as it recognises our approach to energy efficiency and renewable energy as sector leading and we were asked to share our experiences with colleagues from across the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“A lot of work has gone on to make properties more energy efficient. We have been advising people on how to reduce their energy bills, information around warm home discounts, cold weather payments and other benefits through making properties making better use of the energy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Providing training opportunities to students and unemployed people that can be placed on their CVs has been a positive spin-off from this work, with people learning new skills that can prove extremely useful when they search for future employment”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​