Lib Dems Call for Smart Meters "On Hire" at Libraries

8.49.53am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 8th Apr 2009

Old electrical appliances may be costing far more than owners realise

Liberal Democrats at the County Council are trying to help residents during these difficult times by introducing measures to help reduce fuel bills. Smart Meters can be plugged into every home so that householders find out how much electricity their appliances are using. This helps them reduce their energy bills by turning off "greedy" appliances, reducing carbon emissions at the same time.

However, a motion to the county council proposing that Smart Meters should be made available through local libraries so that residents can either buy them or hire them for their own use to test their electrical appliances, was defeated yesterday by the votes of the Conservative majority. A similar scheme was a huge success in Lib Dem run York, and could be easily replicated in Oxfordshire, at little or no cost to the council.

Cllr. Zoe Patrick, Liberal Democrat Leader who proposed the motion, said: "This is a real positive step that we could take as a council to help target those families in need and at the same time help reduce our carbon footprint. Reducing household bills during this time of recession can only benefit residents who are struggling to cope."