Andy D'Agorne

Today the York Press published the story about myself and the Lib Dem councillor Vassie complaining about government red tape forcing local schools to spend money unnecessarily on Energy Certificates for their building when York and other councils already have 'Display' software to calculate the data at minimal cost. However the headline writer seemed to have wanted to have an anti -EU story "EU couldnt make it up" so the opening paragraph made out that it was the EU directive we were opposed to and saying we have written 'to Parliament' to ask for an explanation of why the Government is insisting on using the the EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings.!! The press release that this is supposed to be based on was quite clearly a letter to our local Labour MP Hugh Bayley (not Parliament, whoever that might be!), when the article makes no mention of him.

The byline is simply 'press reporters' so it is not even clear who is to blame for this garbled piece of reporting, and the photos used are their library shots, not the one we took of ourselves next to a copy of the certificate in a council building (and sent them to use with the story).

For the record, here is the original statement, for those who are confused by today's Press garbled version:

Press Release 17/03/08  - immediate        Councillors blast £800 energy red tape  

Local MP Hugh Bayley is being asked to explain why the Government is requiring local schools and council departments to pay for expensive energy efficiency certificates that mimic a much cheaper European system which York council is already using . In a joint letter from the Liberal Democrat Cllr Christian Vassie and Green Cllr Andy D'Agorne, the councillors explain that the software produced by Energie-Cites allows the production of an 'energy certificate' for public buildings similar to the labels for household appliances.   Since 2005 an European Directive has required energy certificates to be displayed in all public buildings, as a way of encouraging councils and schools to cut their energy waste and insulate their buildings. 7500 buildings around Europe, including some schools and council buildings in York, Bristol, Coventry, Durham now have these on display, based on a common standard that allows for direct comparisons. However the UK Government has now issued regulations that City of York council says look set to result in an additional cost to each school in the region of £800 each year for the production of the certificate.
Cllr Vassie, the council's Energy Champion said " Why should local authorities, schools and others be obliged to pay what is effectively a new tax to receive a certificate they can obtain for next to nothing by other means? York, having shown leadership in implementing the EU directive while the government dithered, is now being penalised. With over 70 schools and many other public buildings, the bills could be enormous. "
 Cllr D'Agorne said " A number of York council buildings and schools piloted the implementation of the Directive. Now schools have been told it will cost around £800pa to 'certificate' a building using the government system. I think a system based on a European standard allowing low cost easy comparisons with similar sized buildings anywhere in Europe has to be better than one that is unique to the UK."   The letter to Hugh Bayley is urging him to raise the issue with the minister as a matter of urgency.  

Contact Christian on *************  or Andy on ************** 

ends.  

Note to photo desk: Attached photo of Cllr Andy D'Agorne and Cllr Christian Vassie with the Display energy certificate on display in Council offices in George Hudson St