The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has been questioned over the apparent failure of his RE:NEW scheme to help homeowners make their properties more energy efficient.

The scheme has a target of improving 200,000 homes by 2012 through measures such as low-energy light bulbs, cavity wall and loft insulation. But according to the Mayor’s own figures, the scheme has only helped around 9000 homes to date.

According to a spokesperson for the Mayor, the scheme is dependent on the funding it receives. Last month, it was announced that the scheme would receive £5.9 million to assist 55,000 homes by spring 2012 and a further £1 million is now coming from the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Authorities admit that the scheme had stalled after the Comprehensive Spending Review, but is now expected to get underway again.

Meanwhile, the London Assembly is launching an investigation into whether the Mayor is doing enough to ensure that the capital meets the Government’s target of eradicating fuel poverty by 2016.

Fuel poverty currently affects an estimated 760,000 households – nearly a quarter of the capital’s total.

“We want to establish the current extent of fuel poverty in London and see what progress the Mayor and energy companies are making towards the ambitious goal of eradicating the problem within the next five years,” commented Victoria Borwick, chair of the London Assembly Health and Public Services Committee.

For further information:
www.london.gov.uk

Related stories:
UK Government reopens Warm Front scheme to help 90,000 households (15-Apr)
UK launches campaign to persuade consumers to buy efficiently (13-Apr)
London Mayor gives go ahead for £116.5 million energy efficiency programmes (7-Apr)
£2.7 million energy makeover for London’s public buildings (25-Mar)