EASTERN

Background:

NEA established its regional office presence in 2006. The Regional Co-ordinator for the Eastern region is currently hosted principally by Fenland District Council in its Wisbech office.

Over the years NEA has built up a network of contacts within the region and acts as a focus for information on fuel poverty and affordable warmth policy and practice.

Key Regional Partnerships:

• HEON-E - NEA works in partnership with the Home Energy Officers’ Network (East) to provide appropriate and timely guidance and support to HEON-E members. HEON-E supported the development of the regional office from its inception.
• UKCEED – NEA collaborates closely with UKCEED. UKCEED also offers the regional officer drop-in office space on an ongoing basis.
• East of England Climate Change Partnership - NEA is represented on this group, representing the interests of the fuel poor in the Partnership’s work across the public, private and voluntary sectors to build capacity to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

NEA’s Regional Co-ordinator is developing relationships with the Government Office for the East of England (GOEast), the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) and other regional agencies to ensure that fuel poverty is integrated into regional planning.

Work programme 2007-2008 - Eastern:

In accordance with NEA's business plan, NEA continues to expand its work in the region by:

• Increasing NEA’s involvement at the regional level to promote implementation of the Government's Fuel Poverty Strategy
• Further development of Affordable Warmth Strategies with local authorities, assisting those with strategies to implement, monitor and review them and helping authorities to move towards the establishment of Warm Zones
• Expansion of consultancy services for local authorities, housing providers and other organisations
• Promotion of affordable warmth within local authorities
• Further developing technical projects
• Continuing a proactive regional fuel poverty forum

Examples of current policy and practice development activity include

• Local Area Agreement Consultancy - In recent years NEA has been involved in a variety of work that has helped with the development of LSP commitments and actions to help achieve affordable warmth. The emergence of LAAs adds an extra dimension to this work. In 2006 NEA has taken forward a variety of work with LSPs, which in some instances has helped to influence commitments and targets set down within LAAs. The Regional Co-ordinator is currently providing consultancy support to Suffolk Coastal District Council and aims to help integrate the affordable warmth aspirations of the authority with Local Area Agreement objectives related to affordable warmth.
• Influencing new statutory health and well-being partnerships - The aim of this project is to provide a timely service to LSP health and well-being partnerships which will help to promote recognition of how action to reduce fuel poverty and provide affordable warmth will also help to meet cross-cutting priorities and hopefully commitments, indicators and targets as established under the CSR2007.
• Regional Policy Matrix Development - NEA is producing a regional policy matrix for the nine regions in England, including the East. The matrix will enable NEA to focus its activities on a regional basis in future as well as keep abreast of related policy developments. The matrices will be used to map regional policy developments in line with the demands of the UK Fuel Poverty strategy.

Technical projects:

• Heat Pump Ventilation for Asthma Sufferers - NEA has been funded to assess the use of a loft mounted air-sourced heat pump to provide heat to a Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) system to assist those with respiratory illnesses living in properties off the gas main. A total of 5 properties will be improved; fuel and internal conditions will be monitored. In previous NEA projects, PIV systems have improved living conditions by reducing humidity that in turn has reduced domestic dust mite populations and restricted mould growth. The air introduced into the property is taken from the loft area and this is at the loft temperature. In order to raise the temperature in the winter months an on-peak electric heater is built into the unit providing bursts of heat.
• Solar Thermal Trials - NEA is currently taking forward a project trialling solar water heating in off-gas areas. The project will look at whether this technology can be successfully integrated into the Warm Front scheme.

Forthcoming Events

Region Fuel Poverty Forum

NEA holds regional Fuel Poverty Forums three times per year throughout England and Wales. The Fuel Poverty Forums are targeted at strategic policy makers and front line service providers and aim to:

• Examine policy and practical initiatives related to fuel poverty and delivering energy efficiency solutions at a local, regional, and national level
• Showcase innovation and best practice
• Promote dialogue and discussion on a wide range of sectoral issues
• Help NEA shape policy developments and campaigns

See NEA’s Events Diary for forthcoming meetings or contact NEA’s Regional Co-ordinator for details

SEE the Impact Seminars

The Eastern region hosted an NEA See the Impact Seminar in November 2007. This was one of nine regional seminars held across England linked to high level policy briefings and presentations at the regional government offices for major regional stakeholders. The seminars brought together senior policy makers with representatives from organisations working on the ground to deliver solutions to fuel poverty and was targeted at representatives from local authorities, community and voluntary sector organisations, the business sector, health sector, regional development agencies, and regional agencies/groups with an interest in energy efficiency and fuel poverty. For more information on the outcome of the seminar contact the regional office.

Contact details:

For more information on NEA’s current activities or advice on consultancy or partnership development projects in the Eastern Region please contact Ian Bradley, Regional Co-ordinator (Eastern) on 07860 387869 or email ian.bradley@nea.org.uk

Reviewed: 31/01/2008