Your bills could be slashed by a third
Council leader Gary Porter has secured a landmark deal for South Holland residents. Photo: SG170112-25MD
A UK first is in the making now a consortium has stepped forward to offer South Holland residents a deal equal to a massive 33 per cent cut in electricity and gas bills.
Council leader Gary Porter has been campaigning for weeks for thousands of residents to register an interest in cheaper bills.
He hoped to land a cut of ten per cent – around £100 for many people – but now a consortium has given him a firm offer of a 15 per cent cut on the CHEAPEST energy tariffs for gas and electricity currently paid by any South Holland resident.
The unnamed consortium has also offered to fit smart meters straight away to every house that switches to them – and people who go on smart meters usually save between 15 to 17 per cent of their energy bills.
Coun Porter says smart meters allow residents to check on their spending as they go and most people change their energy use habits so they spend less.
He said the roll-out of smart meters in South Holland isn’t due to start for another two years.
On top of those deals, the consortium is offering to install solar panels for those who want them at an initial cost of £3,000, followed by affordable payments, and is talking about a deal on another eco-friendly heating system.
If thousands of people register an interest now, South Holland could be the first place in the UK to take part in a mass switch to a new supplier.
Coun Porter said: “The consortium has offered to knock 15 per cent off the best deal currently paid by any resident in South Holland and there’s the added value that they will roll out smart meters straight away.
“People’s fuel bills could be one-third less than they are paying now.”
He said the consortium is a group of three companies who want to get a foothold in the market but they have asked not to be named at this stage.
Coun Porter met representatives from the consortium in Spalding on Tuesday and will talk to other companies before recommending the best deal for South Holland people.
He says his negotiating position will be strengthened if more people register an interest in switching.
By lunchtime today, around 747 people had registered but Coun Porter wants the number to soar into the thousands.
• The hunt is now on for the cheapest energy deal in South Holland – so please tell us what you pay per unit for gas and electricity, your name and address – and the name of your energy supplier. Send your letters to The Lincolnshire Free Press, Priory House, The Crescent, Spalding PE11 1AB.
• To register an interest in switching supplier – and there is no commitment for you to actually do so – please fill in the coupon on this page and send it to us at Priory House, contact your ward councillor, visit the council offices in Priory Road, Spalding, or go online to www.sholland.gov.uk and click on the news story headlined ‘Support Fairer Fuel Deal Ahead of Crunch Talks’.
• People “locked” in energy deals are urged to join the hundreds signing up. Coun Porter says the deal struck will now almost certainly outweigh any penalties charged for leaving your current supplier – and the eventual deal could still be with your existing supplier and save you cash.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 11 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Doo Hickey
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 04:20 PMFeb arrives .. No sign of the 'outcome' then - at least it got a few headlines again - all hype, no substance yet again. Must look out for the next 'Sale of the Century' offer that will be coming to an headline near you soon no doubt!
Doo Hickey
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 01:28 PMWhen this latest Master Plan was touted, it was a 10% 'saving' but now a few weeks on, its now up to 15% (in theory) but with once again no named 'supplier' in sight. Bearing in mind the Tory idea of 'enterprise', surely if the name of the supplier - who - we - can't - name was known, then another in competition may well offer even more discount, so in real terms the people are being deprived of others who may or may not wish to better the deal, if of course such a 'deal' is in the real world. Having said that, if we hang onb till July, the 'dioscount' would be about 50% judging by the way its crawling up at the moment.
douglasdickens
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 11:23 AM40% reduction in consumers bills and £800 p.a. per installation of Solar Panels income to SHDC was the original forcast from the DECC that I put to Cllr. Porter in a letter when the scheme was started. I also asked that the council's DLO workers be trained to install them to save jobs and by eliminating the element of private profit the roll out of the scheme would require minimum initial capital and quickly become self financing to pass into a massive income boost to balance the reduction in central government funding and maintain services and the quality of life to the people. Cllr. Porter never replied to my letter.
woody
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 10:22 AMGod help Gary Porter if there are any problems with this new company and the local consumers he is attempting to sigh up. If anything goes pear shaped Gary is going to be in deep doo doo !
CampaigningForSpalding
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 06:04 PMFree cake! (as the advert says)
namcap
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 05:05 PM15% reduction on price AND then a 15% reduction via a Smart Meter, we all know the truth about offers that sound too good to be true. I would much prefer if out council representative could spend more time getting a £100 reduction on my council tax! Glory may be driver but service should be the rule!
Older Not Wiser
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 01:30 PMI'm sceptical, but at least Gary is trying to implement an initiative which could possibly save local people some money. Even if it comes to nothing, it is good to see councillors becoming involved in this way.
Mr Angry of Tonbridge
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 12:08 PMI have changed suppliers in the last few months and the switchover was easy. However, getting any sense out of the company I went with is another matter. I have signed up to this offer but am dubious as to whether the actual prices for electricity and gas will make it worth my while forking out the early cancellation fees. And, it will likely be difficult to provide this promised 15% decrease compared to the cheapest on line, no paper bill, direct debit, read your own meter every month tariff.
woody
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 11:48 AMIn my experience change your supplier, especially to an unknown, and all sorts of billing problems beset you. The times I triend and got burnt I changed back to my original supplier just to get rid of the constant cock-ups.
woody
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 11:10 AMOh give it a rest Gary you are showing yourself up.
Doo Hickey
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 10:57 AMOnly just over 700 shown an interest out sheer THOUSANDS in the area? - odd, as surely the lad is sitting on 3,300 names as given to him by one R. Garvie of Sustainable Spalding not so long ago although the same line is used as once again 'an unnamed concern' is featured yet again like all of Sustainable's 'plans' or rather day dreams. Plus the 'smart meter's' won't be available for 2 years!. Wonder if this latest Wonder Plan was mentioned with his meeting with his Leader in Downing Street on his last photo call there... We sit, we wait then.
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