EBICo Limited, the not-for-profit electricity and gas supply company set up to help give a better deal to low-income households, announced it was giving away the profits it made in 2006.
Phil Levermore, EBICo's Managing Director, said:
"It looks like we'll have made a small surplus of a few thousands of pounds in 2006 after setting aside some money for contingencies. We are not here to make a profit. We are here to offer energy consumers a fairer choice, so we have decided to donate it (the profits) to a couple of organisations who can use it to tackle fuel poverty, which is one of the key objectives of our company."
The company is developing links with social housing providers in order to bring its lower priced energy tariffs, EQUIGAS and EQUIPOWER, to the attention of their tenants.
Phil Levermore said:
"We spoke to Golden Gates Housing in Warrington and the Cambridge Housing Society. We agreed that we'll make a lump sum available to each of them, to use in the manner they think most appropriate to help their low-income EQUIGAS and EQUIPOWER customers with fuel costs this winter."
EBICo Chairman, Rev Hugh Lee, said:
"The sums involved with us are very small, but we felt it was important for us, as a not-for-profit company, that surpluses should be used to further the aims of our social enterprise and help households on low incomes."
Chief Executive of Cambridge Housing Society, Nigel Howlett added:
"This is good news for our residents who are customers of EBICo. One of the reasons we decided to work with EBICo was their commitment to providing the best deal for low-income customers. This gesture is further evidence of their commitment."
English Partnerships unveiled its carbon challenge, which is designed to encourage social landlords and house builders to make available sites and proposals for new eco-friendly homes. There are plans to introduce a carbon challenge logo, which successful bidders can display to demonstrate accreditation.
Reinforcing the commitment of English Partnerships, its Corporate Strategy Director, Trevor Beattie, announced all developments backed by the agency will have to be carbon neutral by 2013. He argued that driving down costs of building eco-friendly homes was part of the reason for the carbon challenge, saying:
"It does cost more but that is what this challenge is about. If this brings established supply chains and new set-ups, then it will no longer be more expensive."
English Partnerships expects to take forward five sites over the next year under the initiative. It has put forward two sites, in Bristol and Peterborough, for use under the challenge. The Government has advised the agency that it expects at least 50% of the homes developed on each site to be affordable.