WARRINGTON Borough Council has admitted that its plans for switching to an environmentally friendly lifestyle may prove costly.

The council's Climate Emergency Commission released its emergency strategy in July this year, which includes guidance on how residents can play their part to prevent further climate change.

Many of the suggestions include lifestyle changes, such as reducing consumption of meat and dairy products, relying more on public transport, and walking or cycling instead of using cars.

However, some suggestions included in the strategy provide 'financial barriers' to many people in Warrington, as the commission's chair has accepted.

Cllr David Ellis is the chair of the Climate Emergency Commission - he told the Warrington Guardian: "Few are in the financial position to be able to make all of the changes mentioned in the strategy and no one expects all these changes to happen overnight. The strategy focuses on steps to make it easier for people to act. 

"There are lots of different things that we can consider, from free and low-cost options to bigger, long-term investments."

Some of the 'low-cost' suggestions include drawing the curtains to conserve heating, not boiling more water than we need, and switching to LED lightbulbs.

However, most of the suggestions for household adjustments are costly.

Suggestions include:

  • Ensuring houses are correctly insulated
  • Using solar panels to generate power
  • Rely on fewer fossil fuels for central heating
  • Installing heat pumps
  • Providing provisions for electric vehicle charging

When costed up, the average price to implement these 'adjustments' runs into the tens of thousands of pounds.

According to average figures from MyBuilder, GreenMatch, EDF Energy, and BookMyGarage, implementing all these adjustments adds up to £20,550.

This total includes the installation of a heat pump, rather than changing a heating system from gas to electric - which would also cost thousands of pounds.

The average cost of insulating a home - which includes cavity wall insulation for four walls, plus loft insulation - is around £1,150.

Solar panels cost an average of £6,400, and an average heat pump costs upwards of £12,000.

To install an electric vehicle charging point would cost somewhere in the region of £1,000 - but would be futile without first owning an electric vehicle, the cost of which has not been included in these calculations.

Cllr Ellis continued: "It’s also important to remember that while some of the other changes might have a relatively low cost, they can help people to save money over time. 

"These include changing light bulbs to LED ones, installing more loft insulation, installing draft proofing on doors and windows and installing a smart thermostat."

The Labour councillor added: "These types of changes will absolutely need government intervention, as a few people may be able to afford these changes, but the majority will not.

"That’s why there is a pressing need to lobby the government to try to gain increased commitment to decarbonisation schemes.”