Sandwell Council has been named as the Regional Council/Local Authority Body of the Year at the West Midlands Regional Energy Efficiency Awards 2022.

The award recognises the efforts of one council within the region that has shown a ‘true commitment’ to promoting energy efficiency, and in tackling fuel poverty among residents.

The council was nominated for the award by AgilityEco, the council’s partner for the Local Energy Advice Partnership (LEAP) scheme. LEAP targets those households that are already in fuel poverty or at risk of falling into fuel poverty.

The scheme provides a wide range of free support services to residents who, for example, are struggling to pay their energy bills or who have cold homes in winter. The council is also working to make its housing stock greener by implementing minimum energy performance standards for existing and new-build homes, using exemplar methods of construction.

By investing in homes to ensure they are low carbon, the authority’s energy efficiency work will support initiatives like LEAP, help it achieve its climate change strategy and the target of being a carbon neutral borough by 2041.

Since October 2018 Sandwell Council has processed approximately 2,000 applications for grant funding towards energy saving and efficiency measures in private sector accommodation, with approximately 3,000 such measures have being delivered. Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, Leader of Sandwell Council, said:

“The award recognises the achievements we are making in improving the energy efficiency of existing council properties and private sector accommodation to create quality homes.

"With partners like AgilityEco we will continue to help improve the energy efficiency of the borough’s existing housing stock.

“We intend to incorporate more renewable energy measures into the design of new-build council homes, and deliver a rolling programme of upgrades to improve energy efficiency and install alternative heating systems in council buildings.”

For information about energy-saving tips, visit Sandwell Council's website.