This month, I had the privilege of witnessing something remarkable here in Calderdale. A group of local people came together to tackle two of the most pressing issues we face - climate change and fuel poverty.

This is the first time we have used a group of volunteers – our first ever Citizen’s Jury – to help us tackle local challenges. They are not policy makers, scientists or industry leaders, but regular people who care deeply about their community.

As you know, here in Calderdale our homes are built to last. They are often solid stone and full of character, but they can be draughty and expensive to heat. With more than 75,000 homes in our district with an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating below C, retrofitting is essential. Retrofit involves introducing measures such as insulation, solar and heat pumps to homes, which not only makes them more comfortable and reduces energy bills; it also helps us tackle the climate emergency.

Our Citizen’s Jury looked at the real barriers to achieving this. They gave up their own time to listen to expert evidence, they debated ideas, and they produced a set of thoughtful and practical recommendations to help us improve the energy efficiency of Calderdale’s homes. I was delighted to attend the presentation of their findings at the Town Hall.

placeholder image — Councillor Jane Scullion

This initiative is part of Calderdale’s ‘Retrofit Challenge Project’, which is a collaboration between Calderdale Council, Todmorden Learning Centre and Hub, and Carbon Co-op. The overall aim of the collaboration is to improve the EPC ratings of local homes, which is a key goal on the path to achieving net zero in Calderdale.

While other councils have used the Citizen’s Jury model, this is a first for Calderdale and the first nationally to look at the barriers to retrofitting. I was impressed with how the Jury reflected Calderdale’s diversity. We had 14 women and 12 men of different ages, backgrounds and incomes, from across Calderdale.

They gave 23 hours of their time, during six sessions, listening to experts covering a range of topics associated with making homes more energy efficient – from funding to finding tradespeople.

Their 14 recommendations are aimed at organisations locally, regionally and nationally. The suggestions are relevant, achievable, and most-importantly, owned by the community. They include setting up one-stop-shops, improving supply chains, plus finance initiatives such as VAT exemption on materials and interest free loans.

They offer a roadmap for overcoming the barriers to home retrofitting. It’s a reminder that Calderdale is bold, ambitious, and ready to lead the way.

It’s wonderful to see people step up, not because they have to, but because they care.

As we continue to face challenges, we will use this model again, because we believe the best solutions come from bringing together different perspectives from the people who live and breathe these challenges.

This is a model worth celebrating.