Members of Suffolk County Council's opposition have criticised the authority's 'missed opportunity' after Government money to retrofit homes is due to go unused.

During a meeting of the county council's cabinet, opposition councillor Ash Lever criticised the authority for not spending the money it was granted by the Government to retrofit homes.

According to the papers, only £3.3 million of the £8.4 million Green Homes grant available total is forecasted to be spent by the end of the financial year — this means £5.1 million is set to go unused by the council due to supply-chain challenges and slow uptake.

However, Cllr Lever, the public health spokesperson for the opposing GLI group, said the council had not done enough to engage with local communities and promote the scheme.

He added: "It's incredibly disappointing for my group – and for the people of Suffolk – that not enough was done to promote the scheme and encourage people to apply.

"The last couple of years have seen lots of households slip into fuel poverty and these are people we could – should – have been helping."

Cllr Richard Smith, the county's lead for finance, denies that the council hasn't done enough to promote the scheme and said efforts would be 'redoubled' to spend as much of the money as possible by March next year.

He said: "The last thing we want to do is return money to the Government when it's been given to us for such laudable purposes.

"Whenever we get a Government grant, we want to use it in full within the time scale and I would find it difficult to accept that the council hasn't tried hard enough."

Although the council papers state the unspent money will be returned to the Government, a council spokesperson clarified the authority does not receive any money until it has been allocated — regardless, the money cannot be used.

There were several criteria for homes to be eligible for the money, including a combined household income of £36,000, an approved postcode, and an energy efficiency rating of D, E, F, or G without being heated by mains gas.

A county council spokesperson added: "The Green Homes Grant is managed by central Government, which sets strict and very specific eligibility criteria determining who can apply – Suffolk's councils cannot change this.

"We have asked the Government to consider granting more flexibility to local authorities so we can develop long-term strategies for reducing fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency in Suffolk homes."

The spokesperson also said inconsistent targets and criteria in similar grant programmes made it more difficult for residents to apply, adding other authorities were facing similar problems.

Although Cllr Lever agreed with the need for more consistency, he maintained more could be done as we head into the winter.

He added: "As the weather starts getting colder, it isn't just the pensioners of Suffolk who will be worried how they are going to heat their homes. This is such a missed opportunity."