THE minister of state for energy will meet with Clacton MP Douglas Carswell following complaints Jaywick residents were left in the lurch by energy firms.

Residents who signed up to the Insulating Jaywick project were left angry after a change in criteria meant works to improve homes was stopped.

The Government scheme saw firms such as Ice Energy and Energy Alliance spend millions upgrading about 1,000 properties in the deprived ward with new boilers, windows and insulation.

But following the change in criteria, people with existing gas central heating were excluded from the works, which are funded by energy firms as part of the Energy Companies Obligation scheme.

Mr Carswell said: “A number of homes in Clacton and Jaywick have been insulated under the Insulating Jaywick scheme using ECO funding.

“But I am told that the funding is no longer available, work has stopped and many local people who thought they had signed up to the scheme have been left rather disappointed.

“I am very much on the side of local people and will try and ensure that common sense prevails.”
He asked minister of state for energy and climate change Gregory Barker for talks to discuss the issues with the scheme.

Speaking in Parliament, Mr Barker said he would meet with Mr Carswell to talk about the project.

He said: “The message we have tried to give is that the Eco scheme has actually been extended, rather than shortened, and the number of people who will be helped by Eco has grown as a result of the package that has been announced.”