THE Carlisle & District Green Party have made a pledge to tackling growing levels of fuel poverty and the cost-of-living crisis - by supporting a 'retrofit revolution'.
The party aim to operate a ground-up approach that will insulate social housing, with the program cutting fuel bills, create numerous jobs and reduce the carbon emissions.
By supporting social housing initially, the party hopes to bring down economies of scale, making retrofitting for all households more accessible and affordable, along with those in the private sector.
Carlisle Green Party Chair Gavin Hawkton said: "The cost-of-living crisis is leaving many low-income households across Carlisle having to choose between heating and eating.
"We need a program to lift people out of fuel poverty while creating hundreds of new jobs and slashing carbon emissions.
"Greens are showing leadership, demonstrating how we can do things differently, by implementing a ground-up approach.
"The creation of the new Cumberland Council gives us an opportunity to really tackle this issue by creating a locally trained workforce that can both deliver a retrofit program and boost the local economy.
"This would not only create a guaranteed pipeline of work, but it would also mean that private renters and homeowners can benefit from cheaper retrofitting too," he said.
The retrofitting idea is currently being implemented by Green-led Lewes District Council.
Leader of Carlisle Labour Party, Lisa Brown however, who has also been selected to stand for Currock on the new Unitary Authority, said the Green's approach is based off the Preston Model, implemented by Labour Leader of Preston Council, Matthew Brown.
"There is a global gas price crisis, but 10 years of the Conservative’s failed energy policy, dither and delay has created a price crisis that’s being felt by people in Carlisle.
"We need to stop bills going up. That’s why Labour nationally would give families in Carlisle security by taking fully-funded measures to save most households around £200 or more, targeting extra support on top of that for the squeezed middle, pensioners and lowest earners."
Cllr Marilyn Bowman, Portfolio Holder for Economy, Enterprise and Housing, questioned how the Greens will actually be able to achieve this target as social housing isn't run through the council.
"It's fine saying what you're going to do but actually doing it, having the capabilities to do it, alongside the funding to do, it really is another matter.
"I think what we have done just shows our commitment to energy efficiency, by all the grants we’ve given and the help we give to both owners and tenants through the Homelife system, sustainable warmth grants and eco grants, we are doing what we can to push this forward.
"Things are tight for people at the moment I know that, which is why we have to operate with a touch of reality."
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