MP praises council's energy scheme in Westminster

An innovative energy scheme launched by South Lakeland District Council has been praised in Westminster by South Lakes MP Tim Farron. The buying co-operative is estimated to make savings of £60 to £300 for local residents per year.

1,669 local people signed up to join the scheme before the deadline on Monday 17 September.

An auction took place on 18 September that allowed energy companies to bid for the custom of those registered. SLDC worked with specialist company iChoosr, to negotiate with the energy companies to give everyone registered a competitive deal on their energy supply.

OVO Energy was the winning bid for the custom of the 1,669 people registered. Each person who registered will be sent an offer with a price for their energy supply by email or by post. Only then will people decide whether they wish to accept the winning supplier's offer or not.

Tim has placed a parliamentary motion down in the House of Commons to congratulate the council on their ground breaking work on this scheme. The text of the motion reads: "That this House congratulates South Lakeland District Council for successfully running the first council led 'community switch' energy scheme in the country; notes that 1,669 people across the South Lakes signed up to 'Power up Your Community' scheme before the deadline giving the council huge power to effectively negotiate, through specialist energy company iChoosr, with energy providers to give everyone registered and competitive deal on their energy supply; welcomes news that thanks to the successful bid from OVO Energy, those registered through the scheme are likely to make savings of between £60 and £300 per year; and calls on the Government to use South Lakeland District Council's scheme as an example for councils across the country to follow to help local residents to get their best deal for their energy supply through their own 'community switch' energy schemes."

Commenting, Tim said: "The council's scheme is very welcome and I am delighted to be able to praise it in Parliament for the trailblazing project it is. Being able to cut residents bills by up to £300 pounds is fantastic and I know that this project will go from strength to strength. I want to pay tribute to the fantastic work of Clare Feeney-Johnson, Peter Thornton and the other councillors who helped get this scheme off the ground. It will make a massive difference for residents in South Lakeland."