DISCUSSIONS are underway to give responsibility for vetting applications for the Eco 3 (Energy Company Obligation) to external organisations.

At Powys County Council’s (PCC) full council meeting on Thursday, July 11, it was revealed that Robert Owen Community Banking could be brought in to conduct the vetting process.

This follows the highly controversial Eco2 scheme where Powys Plumbing Group claimed the scheme was being run fraudulently.

Cllr Linda Corfield (Independent – Forden) asked: “Will members have sight of the new statement of intent (SOI) prior to it going to cabinet for approval so that members have an opportunity to study and make comments and suggestions?

“The last SOI was a complete disaster.”

“Can you confirm that Robert Owen Bank or any other organisation such as Marches Energy Agency have been approached regarding involvement in the scheme?”

Portfolio holder for Corporate Governance, Housing & Public Protection, Cllr James Evans (Conservative – Gwernyfed) answered: “Members will get to see the SOI they will get the chance to see that through scrutiny.

“External partners have been approached with the running and administration of Eco3 but I can’t go in to the details of those.”

A report from internal auditors SWAP discussed by councillors in May had cleared PCC of wrong doing as they believed there was not enough evidence of fraud.

They said that if any fraud was taking place it was between the agents and the applicants.

It was shown that PCC did not have enough staff to do all the checks an balances required and that 1,800 applications had not been approved when the scheme came to an end on September 30, 2018.

The Westminster government’s Eco3 scheme started in December 2018 and is set to run until March 31, 2022.

It is expected thatEco3 will be rolled out in Powys in the autumn.

The main difference between Eco2 and Eco3 is that the focus will be on insulation and is intended to assist in reducing carbon emissions, maintaining the security of energy supply and reducing fuel poverty.

Gas and electricity suppliers with more than 250,000 customers are automatically required to deliver Eco.

More energy suppliers will have to join in over the next couple of years, until all suppliers with more than 150,000 customers are involved in 2020.