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WEST MIDLANDS
Background:
NEA established a regional office presence in 2007 following over a decade of project-based activity across the
West Midlands
, which still continues today. The West Midlands Regional Co-ordinator currently works out of NEA’s regional office in
Coventry
and can provide further details on any of the following work programmes and partnerships activities. NEA also has an area office based within
Coventry
delivering a range of projects – contact details are listed below.
Key Regional Partnerships:
NEA is currently developing its regional office presence and is making links with regional government, health and other agencies. NEA hopes to build upon this activity in coming years both in policy and project development activity.
Current work programme:
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 energy champions
- Establishment of skills centres
- Further developing technical projects; and
- Continuing a proactive regional fuel poverty forum
Examples of current policy and practice development activity include:
Regional Policy Matrix Development
NEA has received funding to produce a regional policy matrix for the nine regions in
England
, including the
West Midlands
. The matrix will enable affordable warmth initiatives to be most effectively targeted where they will have the greatest impact on policy development and implementation. This includes both work to deliver affordable warmth where it has already been identified as a priority, and development work to ensure that affordable warmth is given greater emphasis when policies are being developed and reviewed. The matrices will be reviewed and updated quarterly, which will provide an opportunity to map progress in commitments at a regional level to meet national fuel poverty targets.
Technical Projects:
NEA has a broad technical programme which seeks to develop new affordable warmth solutions for low-income and other vulnerable households living in fuel poverty. For more information on current projects contact NEA’s Technical Manager, Arthur Scott by email or telephone 0191 261 5677.
Forthcoming Events:
West Midlands
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 frontline 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 details of forthcoming Forums.
SEE the Impact Seminars
Following introductory high level policy briefings and presentations at the regional government offices to the major regional stakeholders, a series of seminars is being held during 2007-08 including one in the
West Midlands
which is due to take place around March 2008. The seminars bring together senior policy makers with representatives from organisations working on the ground to deliver solutions to fuel poverty and will be 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 Co-ordinator.
Contact details:
For more information on NEA’s current activities or advice on consultancy or partnership development projects in the
West Midlands
please contact Saran Jarvie, West Midlands Regional Co-ordinator at NEA on 024 7655 9191 or email saran.jarvie@nea.org.uk
For more information on NEA’s
Coventry
Area Office work programme please contact Judy Best or Mary O’Brien, Project Officers on 024 7655 9191 or email judy.best@nea.org.uk or mary.obrien@nea.org.uk. NEA’s
Coventry
office has its own local website see http://www.neacoventry.org
Reviewed: 31/01/2008 |
