The session will follow on from our initial meeting in February where we looked at existing support mechanisms for SMEs wanting to improve their energy efficiency and captured their strengths and weaknesses in an Energy Support Map.

The Durham Regional Energy Stakeholder (RES) group brings together project managers and energy efficiency and business support professionals from across the region who have practical experience of what works well, what could be improved and what is most needed.

It also includes representatives from central government (MHCLG and BEIS) and an Elected Cabinet Member from Durham County Council who are all well placed to provide adviseand seek to influence relevant policy. 

With a particular focus on the County Durham Climate Emergency Response Action Plan, this meeting will look to further analyse the support that is currently available for SMEs and consider what policy and programme improvements and additional provision might be most helpful to achieve a low carbon business sector. 

More generally, it will look to support a transition between the existing EU funding programmes and any future local, regional and national proposals and identify key milestones in the journey to low and zero carbon.   

It will update local partners on recent work with our European partners so they can begin to identify synergies and cross overs between Durham’s work and the needs and Good Practices of our overseas colleagues. 

These findings will be captured in a Needs Matrix and reported back to the international partners later in the summer.