Agenda item

            The Committee was advised that, in line with a Council decision, an all Party deputation had met with Mr. M. McDermott, Head of Fuel Poverty and Private Sector Grants Team, on 24th May to discuss issues relating to fuel poverty.

            The Lead Operations Officer explained that the Department for Communities continued to target the most vulnerable homes, where 25% of household income was used to meet heating costs.  The Members were advised that 33,000 homes had been identified and were targeted in the Affordable Warmth Scheme, which had a budget last year of £16.5million.  It was pointed out that there was a boiler replacement scheme, which was administered by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), with a budget of £3million, and that this scheme also covered households in fuel poverty where 10% of household income was spent on heating.

            The Head of Environmental Health then highlighted the following key issues which had been discussed at the meeting on 24th May:

·        Cavity Wall Insulation Installer’s Scheme – It had been suggested that the Assembly needed to introduce an accredited scheme to control and regulate all cavity wall installation companies. The scheme should include a rigorous process of accreditation and monitoring of all certified installers who must meet agreed standards in relation to, for example, workmanship, materials and technical knowledge. This scheme must also be backed up with a robust failsafe guarantee for anyone who has cavity wall insulation installed and that protects them even if the installer is no longer trading. During discussion it was suggested this scheme should not be at the cost to the ratepayer and could be administered via a bond or application fee paid by the installers that self finances the regulation of it.

·        NIHE Bi-Annual Housing Conditions Surveys – It had been noted that it was important for all future generation house condition surveys to include cavity wall installation inspections and /or thermal imaging testing to ensure adequate levels of installation for all homes tested.  It had been confirmed following the meeting that the NIHE had given an assurance that during forthcoming surveys those assessments would be carried out on a sample basis;

·        Dealing with defective cavity wall insulation - It had been suggested that further funding provision should be made to widen the scale of funding to address this issue; and

·        Affordable Warmth Scheme – It had been noted that, given the importance of tackling fuel poverty, the reduction in funding for individual locals councils was disappointing.  The funding had been reduced from £153,000 in 2015/16 to a new annual figure of £92,000.  Quarter 1 of 2016/17 would be at the same rate as quarter 1 of 2015/16 (£38,250) to allow for transition and subsequently £23,000 per quarter allocated for the remainder of the year.  Councils would receive a total of £107,250 for 2016/17.

            The Members were informed that the target for completed surveys had been reduced from 1,000 to approximately 500 per council area and, therefore, significantly less vulnerable households would be helped. Any under-spend in the Affordable Warmth Scheme was not ring fenced for further use within the scheme.

            Several Members stressed the importance of this matter being progressed as a matter of urgency and following consideration, it was agreed that the Committee note the update report and that it write to:

·        the Department for Communities to request a meeting with Minister Givan to discuss fuel poverty; and

·        the Department of Finance to request a meeting to discuss funding, including a mechanism for reallocation of under spends for fuel poverty schemes.

            It was agreed further that, in the interim, the Director of City and Neighbourhood Services would forward a letter immediately to the Permanent Secretary highlighting the aforementioned issues.