At last night’s meeting of full council, Labour Group at Norwich City Council’s motion in support of the Energy For All campaign and Energy Equity Commission Bill passed unanimously.
The Energy Equity Commission Bill was presented in parliament by Clive Lewis, Labour MP for Norwich South. It supports Fuel Poverty Action‘s call for a universal free band of energy for all, according to need, which would cover essentials like heating, lighting, cooking and connectivity. Their petition on this issue has collected over 650,000 signatures so far and can be signed here.
The Energy For All model would also see a fully-funded national retrofitting strategy enacted to deliver a street-by-street energy efficiency improvement program, led by local authorities.
The measures in this Bill represent serious action to tackle the climate crisis, bring down energy bills for good and eradicate fuel poverty.
Previously, at our November 2022 All Members’ Meeting, Norwich Labour members also voted unanimously to back #EnergyForAll.
Cllr Emma Hampton, cabinet member for climate change, proposed the motion and says:
“Over the past year or so, Norwich City Council has discussed and debated a number of potential solutions to aspects of the cost of living crisis. It’s a shame we’re still having to be faced with this as an issue, but I think the proposal we passed tonight is the most comprehensive solution to the crisis yet. Our Sustainable Warmth Strategy contains the ambitious aim to eradicate fuel poverty in Norwich by 2040 at the latest, and the government enacting Energy For All is the most sure fire way of us achieving this.
Everyone deserves to be able to heat and light their homes, cook food and be connected to the world around them. These should be a basic right, and Energy For All would make it so. It’s strength is in its universality: and this is a concept that is familiar to this council, us having previously supported Norwich become a Universal Basic Income pilot city. Taking a universal approach will mean virtually no-one will fall through the net: something that’s sadly not true currently”
Find out more here: https://www.fuelpovertyaction.org.uk/energyforall/