Council pressed on tenant heating burden

Assurance has been sought that Perth and Kinross Council tenants will not have their financial burden increased by having electric heating fitted in their homes.

At a climate change and sustainability committee meeting last week, a Conservative councillor expressed concern electricity was a more expensive means of heating homes.

Councillor Hugh Anderson questioned if moving to greener energy could hit council tenants with even bigger bills to pay.

At the meeting, the committee was asked to note progress with the council’s annual Public Bodies Climate Change Duty Reporting submission.

During the debate, Mr Anderson raised concern about the impact on council tenants of council plans to remove oil as fuel for heating and hot water in its estate by 2030.

He added: “You’re also, I gather, removing new gas boilers from being installed by 2025.

“Is the council going to assist people on the estate with solar energy or biomass units to help reduce the cost of living?

“Electricity is possibly the costliest fuel you are left with according to this report. Have you ways of reducing that cost to the occupiers of council tenants?”

Climate Change and Sustainable Development team leader Divindy Grant said: “When you look at the Energy Saving Trust figures, oil is the most expensive heating fuel currently.

“And so if you were to be switching from oil to heat pumps, it’s actually projected you would have a cost saving for residents.

“Where you make a more significant benefit is if you put solar panels in combination with a heat pump. They can really help residents with fuel poverty.”