MJ Local Government Achievement Award 2011 - Public/Private Partnerships
KNW and Sunderland City Council - Sunderland Energy Efficiency Programme
KNW and Sunderland City Council's innovative approach to the provision of household energy efficiency support has been recognised by winning this year's MJ Award for best public/private partnership against stiff national competition.
Originally Sunderland intended to bring 3 installer partners into the programme but KNW saw the option to work directly with a council, without managing agents and their on costs, as an opportunity to show the excellent value of a direct working partnership. On this basis KNW contacted fuel utilities and their material suppliers and obtained significant CERT funding and material discounts. This enabled us to provide practical measures at an unprecedented low level, both to the council and to the householder. Faced with this, Sunderland City Council had no alternative other than to revoke the decision to have 3 installer partners and offer KNW an exclusive contract.
Sunderland City Council works in partnership with KNW and npower to deliver the Sunderland Energy Efficiency Programme to tackle fuel poverty, cold related illnesses, deprivation and health inequalities by providing insulation measures to vulnerable people those whose poor health is aggravated by cold housing conditions.
Sunderland City Council wanted to address the issue of excess winter deaths and fuel poverty, (ie households that spend more than 10% of their income on heating costs) across the city by using the scheme to:
- improve the thermal performance of all homes and increase comfort,
- reduce the burden on the NHS from people suffering cold-related illnesses,
- reduce heating costs for vulnerable people,
- reduce the Council's, and the city's carbon footprint,
The parameters of the scheme are set to ensure that it targets the most vulnerable first. It does this by providing:
- Free measures to all vulnerable groups by utilising the Government's Warm Front Scheme and Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, (CERT), funding,
- Costs at around £39 per measure for other priority groups (defined as households with children under 4, and households on a low income),
- Costs at around £49 per measure for all other groups,
A minor repairs element that is financed by the scheme, (the Hardship Fund, provided by a percentage rebate from the work installed by KNW), is managed in partnership with Age UK and the PCT to provide additional financial support to help households in urgent need of help that is not available elsewhere.
The overall energy efficiency programme provides excellent value for money. On average £10 worth of work is completed for every £1 provided by Sunderland City Council.
The partnership working between Sunderland City Council, KNW and npower along with the link to Age UK and the PCT are bringing real benefits to Sunderland residents in a time when rising energy prices are such a worry to so many households.
KNW Offer a free, no obligation survey for all residents, even outside of this scheme.
If you are interested please contact us on our Freephone number 0800 378 493 or use the Find us contact page.
*This price is based on a maximum sq. metres for each property. Any property where the sq. metres is above this maximum will be charged an excess cost
