MORE than 1,700 South Holland people could soon make history by switching to the first ever cheap gas and electricity deal negotiated by a district council.
Bills are set to be slashed by at least 15 per cent – and more savings are likely to come with the so far unnamed consortium offering to put all customers on Smart Meters.
More than 1,700 people have so far registered an interest and council leader Coun Gary Porter says there are at least another 400 people in the pipeline.
Coun Porter said the consortium is happy to start with “a relatively small number” of interested people to make the deal happen and they about to submit a formal proposal to the council.
He said: “We will then get our people to do ‘due diligence’ on it to make sure it all stacks.
“I am fairly confident that it will stack, but I still wouldn’t want to put our name on it until we have thoroughly checked it out.”
No one who has registered an interest is committed to going with the new deal. The final deal will be offered formally once the council is completely satisfied.
Coun Porter said the council is working out its communications strategy for residents switching to cheaper fuel and it may include village roadshows where people can sign up with the consortium.
He said: “We have told them we don’t want any cold calling so there will be no door knocking.”
Coun Porter personally negotiated the cheaper fuel deal after publicly criticising energy companies for charging inflated prices.
He is delighted the deal is about to be sealed and says he will be even more pleased when he too is benefiting from cheaper energy.
Coun Porter said: “If the deal is the right deal, it would be stupid for me not to sign up. People will think I am either a liar or a fool if I don’t sign and I don’t want people to think either of those things.”
You can register an interest by:
l Visiting www.sholland.gov.uk and clicking on ‘Deal Offered for Cut-Price Fuel’
l Visiting the council offices in Priory Road, Spalding, or seeing your ward councillor