Lib Dems Want Greener, Warmer Housing

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 28th Feb 2007

Greener, warmer housing

The Liberal Democrats' plans that will be debated on Sunday March 4th at their national conference would:

• Help lift pensioners and disabled people out of fuel poverty;

• Cut the number of excess winter deaths in Ealing;

• Make it easier for families to insulate their homes and cut fuel bills;

• Aim to more than halve the amount of polluting carbon emissions produced by homes in Ealing.

A recent government study found 119,000 households living in fuel poverty in London, nearly 5% of all households in the region. Government statisticians have calculated that, across London, there were 2600 excess winter deaths, of whom 2300 were pensioners.

Local Lib Dem councillor Jon Ball, who is attending the conference, is backing the motion that would see fuel bills for local people fall dramatically and carbon emissions from homes cut by over half by 2050.

Local Liberal Democrat Jon Ball said, "Making Ealing a greener, cheaper and more sustainable community must be a top priority.

"I am travelling to Harrogate with my Ealing colleagues to back a move to cut carbon emissions from homes by more than half. This would save families here in Ealing a lot of money currently being poured into the gas and electricity companies' pockets."

Jon Ball added, "Many people in Ealing can't afford to heat their homes properly. Many people died last winter who shouldn't have. It's disgraceful that pensioners can't afford to heat their homes. I want to see measures including a range of insulation, draught-proofing and window, heating and light replacement to help improve the energy efficiency of all homes in Ealing."