RESIDENTS across Cheshire could soon benefit from new funding to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

That’s after Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East, and Warrington councils agreed to submit a £6.3 million bid — to be split equally — to the government’s ‘green homes fund’.

North west councils will receive £51.5 million from the fund, which is designed to allow ‘to improve the energy efficiency of low income households’.

At the Cheshire West cabinet meeting where the council approved the bid, Cllr Carol Gahan said: “It is going to work out as an average of £10,000 per property and going to have a hugely beneficial effect on our exposed properties in the borough, particularly park homes.

“This money has got to be spent by the end of the year which seems hugely unfair and a short time frame.”

Guidance says the funding ‘can be used for retrofit energy efficiency works to homes, both privately owned and rented, where the occupier has an income of less than £30,000 a year’.

A report to cabinet added: “Cheshire West proposes to extend the delivery of its programme of works to Park Homes, which are among some of the most poorly performing energy usage homes and to investigate the feasibility of working with private and social landlords. 

“The landlords of rented properties are required to contribute 30 per cent of the cost of work.”