The Vale Housing Association has recently completed its Affordable Warmth strategy, aimed at helping its tenants to reduce their fuel consumption and lower their fuel costs whilst keeping their homes heated to an adequate level. The Association, based in Abingdon, already has a history of working towards protecting the environment and improving quality of life and was the first Housing Association to gain accreditation to the ISO 14001 standard in 1999. It now aims to build on this by including measures to address the difficulties faced by those for whom heating costs represent a high proportion of their income.
Measures introduced by the strategy include providing incoming tenants with more information about fuel tariffs and payment methods, and training up a number of front line staff to City and Guilds standard in the provision of energy advice.
The Association has worked closely with the Vale of White Horse District Council on the strategy and has also been involved in the development of their Affordable Warmth Strategy. The work on both strategies was started by a joint Affordable Warmth Forum held in May 2003. Through this forum, links were also made with many other organisations working within the Vale of White Horse and surrounding areas. The Association feels that these links are an essential factor in achieving the aims of the strategy as Chief Executive, Mike Roberts, explains, As in other areas many of the issues can best be addressed through partnerships with other agencies and we are keen to develop these.
Communications and Research Assistant
01235 536001