North East Best PracticeWarm Zones

Colin White

Energy Officer

Newcastle City Council

The Warm Zone Approach• 5 Pilot Zones launched 2001 across England• Each Warm Zone is an independent entity, controlled by

a central not-for-profit company (Warm Zones Ltd)• Systematic structured street by street assessment• A strategic zone approach, allowing more effective ward

marketing, targeting & street level participation• Multi-disciplinary approach with national and local

partners. • The co-ordination of different Fuel Poverty and Energy

Efficiency schemes.• Delivery driven

• Stockton (Transco / BGT)

• Northumberland (npower)

• Redcar & Cleveland (Transco / BGT)

• Newcastle (Transco / Scottish Power)

• Gateshead (Transco / Scottish Power) Project currently under development

Other Zones and Associated Projects

• Hull (npower)

• Sandwell (npower)

• Newham (EDF)

• East London (EDF)

• Neath Port Talbot (Transco Warm Wales/npower)

• Beat the Cold: Stoke/N. Staffs (Renew)Project currently under development

North East Warm Zones

Stockton Facts

• Original pilot zone 2001: 3 year project

• Stockton on Tees BC area: 73,000 homes

• 51,000 assessments completed

• 15,052 homes improved

• £340,000 in extra benefits delivered

• The most successful of the 5 pilot models

• Work continuing in the “Comfort Zone”

Northumberland Facts• Original pilot zone 2001: 3 year project• Northumberland CC + six 2nd tier Councils,

rural :136,000 homes• 67,333 assessments completed at March 05• 13,430 homes improved• £131,000 in extra benefits delivered• Major geographical & partnership challenges• Warm Zone work continuing• Developing multi-agency approach

Redcar & Cleveland Facts

• Spin off from Stockton: 2002 for 3 years• Redcar & Cleveland BC: 58,000 homes• 44,187 assessments completed• 12,234 homes improved• £749,000 in extra benefits delivered• ESF trainee project – Contractor placement• Additional measures – Central heating & Solar

Water • Linkage with separate able to pay scheme• Post Warm Zone to be decided

Newcastle Facts

• Launched 2004: 4 year project

• Newcastle City Council area: 120,000 homes

• All tenures including an ‘Able to Pay’ scheme

• 10,795 completed assessments to March 05

• 3,539 homes improved to March 05

• £260,000 in extra benefits delivered

• Integrated ESF trainee project

Newcastle Background• Multiple funding sources:

ScottishPower, Transco, Newcastle City Council, Your Homes Newcastle, NRF, New Deal for Communities, Health Through Warmth, EST, ERDF, + others under progress

• 30 ‘back-to-work’ ESF trainees employed each year• Enhancing & partnering existing projects• Benefits checks, claims support advice & home visits• Able to pay scheme • Central heating grants• Health survey• Revisiting wards to maximise penetration• Expanding partnership remit

Gateshead Developments

• Prospective new WZ in Gateshead: 2005

• Gateshead Council area: 89,727 homes

• Development by GC, GHC, Transco & WZL

• Preferred EEC partner (ScottishPower)

• Business plan for GC approval in May

• All tenures including ‘Able to Pay’ scheme

• Target start date: October 2005

Summary Launch Years

Run to date

Housing Stock

Assessed to date

Homes improved* to date

Measures* investmentto date

£

Stockton 2001 3 73,000 51,000 15,052 11,438,000(Incl. major CH scheme with SBC)

Northumberland 2001 4 136,000 67,000 13,4303,858,000

Redcar & Cleveland

2002 3 58,000 44, 000 12,234 3,749,492

Newcastle 2004 1 120,000 11,000 3,539 1,060,000

Gateshead(under development)

2005 - 90,000 - - -

Totals - Average 4 years

477,000 173,000 44,255 20,105,492

* Note: Improved includes insulation & heating but excludes CFLs

WZs in the NE: Conclusions• All NE WZs a major improvement over ‘BAU’• Draws in significant additional funding • Able to enhance existing schemes• Adaptable to local circumstances• Best results where LA /WZ partnership is strong• WZ not panacea for Fuel Poverty and HECA• Post WZ requires planning • WZ principle of structured strategic approach has

a significant impact

Warm Zone Contact Details

www.warmzones.co.uk

enquiries@warmzones.co.uk

Colin White

Newcastle City Council

Colin.white@newcastle.gov.uk