Green Deal

Update Monday 28 January	We have received an e-mail from Groundwork West Midlands which clarifies that the phase of the Green Deal which has now closed is the "Community Pilot".  Any new referrals will be passed on for consideration in the next phase.  It is not too late to apply.
GREEN DEAL Government website Green Deal information	The background to this is a government initiative to reduce carbon emissions across Britain.  This is seen in our area as action to see how the homes which are less energy efficient can be improved. Report in Bournemouth Echo.  This gives some of the background to Green Deal.  In our area, this is the Birmingham Energy Savers pilot project.  Community groups were asked to refer 40 possible homes for the initial survey.  Originally we thought the deadline was the end of January, and that we may also be able to have referrals accepted at our meeting if the target numbers had not been achieved.  This is now uncertain because a deadline of 23rd January was applied.  We hope that we may still be able refer homes for survey since we understand that the 23 January deadline relates to the government's Green Deal funding for energy efficiency work.
	New applications are being invited at a BES Launch Event on Friday 1st February, to be among the first to have the free survey.
Referral Form	The BES referral form is available here.  Please download this and fill it in, and return it to the NWENF.  We will then forward it to the BES contacts. If you are used to editing MS Word, you can fill in the form on your computer and e-mail it to NWENF.  We have added a tick graphic by the question at the foot of Page 1, so that you can copy and paste this to answer the tick-box questions.

AGM and PUBLIC MEETING	The next Public Meeting will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday 2nd February 2013.
VENUE	Portland Pavilion (former M&B Sports and Social Club) Portland Road.
TOPICS	Annual General Meeting Reports from the  retiring NWENF Committee reviewing the past year. The Committee retires and new Committee members are invited to come forward.  Do not rely on any members of the old Committee continuing for another year.  They may volunteer for another year.  They will welcome new people on the Committee.  The Neighbourhood Forum is better for having new people. Green Deal In association with Groundwork West Midlands, the Council is looking for homes to have an energy audit. This is part of the Birmingham Energy Savers pilot project.  The main deadline was Wednesday 23rd January.  Our original information was that this would be 31 January.  There is to be a launch event on Friday 1st February relating to the local project under the government's Green Deal programme. We hope to have someone from Groundwork West Midlands at our meeting to meet residents and bring the latest information. Consultation There will be a summary of the results from the Survey.  The consultant, Dr Stephen Williams, is working on a report, and will be able to present some or all of the findings.