Council Neglects to Save as Energy Costs Set to Spiral

4.08.59pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 24th Oct 2008

Bedford Borough Council's inaction over Energy Efficiency on its own property has been revealed during Energy Saving Week 2008

Bedford Borough Council has been attacked over its shocking neglect in the face of rising energy costs. The condemnation of the council by Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats follows the revelation that a series of financial reserves created for the purpose of reducing the financial and environmental costs of its energy use have been left almost completely untouched over the past two years.

Newly-released figures show that the council spent a paltry £1,341 in the last two years on energy efficiency work out of a total of £70,000 allocated specifically for energy conservation measures over this period.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Eastcotts Ward Christine McHugh said: "Spiralling energy costs are obvious to everyone, with regular reminders dropping onto doormats in the form of rising bills. The council allocated this money long before the decision on unitary status and it has many buildings, not just the Town Hall, such as leisure centres and swimming pools where it could have found ways to save energy and therefore money.'

"The concept of 'investing to save' appears to have completely passed the council by in this case. Its approach to energy efficiency has represented a failure of financial sense, environmental sense and above all, common sense."

In a bitter irony, the news of the council's disregard for energy conservation measures comes during Energy Saving Week. It also follows warnings from council officers that, with the council's energy contracts due for renewal in June 2009, costs are set to increase by around 35 to 40 per cent. This rise amounts to several hundred thousand pounds. Local taxpayers will be forced to foot the bill for the rising costs, after several years of council inaction during which the Liberal Democrats have pressed for real improvements to the energy efficiency of council buildings.