South Hams council supports cheap energy bill - 26/05/2009
Councillors in South Hams, Devon, have lent their support to a bill designed to tackle high prices from energy suppliers that was originally put forward by a Liberal Democrat MP.
Around 25 per cent of residents living in Totnes and Dartmouth are officially in fuel poverty and their situation is growing worse as a result of rising unemployment and the pressures of the recession, reports the Herald Express.
Poor housing conditions contribute to fuel poverty as a lack of insulation and other efficiency measures mean that the heating systems are used more often because a greater quantity escapes into the atmosphere.
Anne Ward, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Totnes, told the paper: "A lot depends on the condition of your house. If people are living in leaky, badly insulated, older properties they have got a problem. Particularly if it is a house without cavity walls."
As a result of the local problems, the recent fuel poverty bill put forward by Liberal Democrat MP David Heath has been supported by the council.
The government has supported energy efficiency as the best way to reduce domestic energy bills.
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