Greens pledge to tackle cost of living crisis with a retrofit revolution
● A ground-up approach to insulate social housing
● “Change for the better – cutting fuel bills, creating hundreds of new jobs and slashing carbon emissions.”
Carlisle & District Green Party pledge to tackle growing levels of fuel poverty and the cost-of-living crisis by supporting a retrofit revolution. Greens point to a ground-up model, currently being implemented by Green-led Lewes District Council [1], that will see local councils in an area work collaboratively together to insulate social housing. This will cut fuel bills, create hundreds of new jobs and slash carbon emissions.
By focusing initially on social housing, a local, stable supply chain and workforce can be created and lead to economies of scale that will help bring down the price of retrofitting for all households, including those in the private sector.
Carlisle Green Party Chair Gavin Hawkton:
“The cost-of-living crisis is leaving many low-income households across Carlisle having to choose between heating and eating. We need a program to lift people out of fuel poverty while creating hundreds of new jobs and slashing carbon emissions.
“Greens are showing leadership, demonstrating how we can do things differently, by implementing a ground-up approach. The creation of the new Cumberland Council gives us an opportunity to really tackle this issue by creating a locally trained workforce that can both deliver a retrofit program and boost the local economy. This would not only create a guaranteed pipeline of work, but it would also mean that private renters and homeowners can benefit from cheaper retrofitting too.
“Greens are bringing about change for the better – cutting fuel bills, creating hundreds of new jobs and slashing carbon emissions.”
Tom Adams, Green Party candidate from Brampton adds:
“Many rural areas around Brampton have particular problems with aging, poorly insulated properties.
“Retrofitting requires a skilled workforce, ramping up the number of apprenticeships and investment in sustainable sources of energy for heating. Pooling financial resources like the Lewes model provides a practical blueprint for
achieving this.”
Notes
[1] https://greenworld.org.uk/article/lewes-model-explained