REDDITCH community groups are being urged to help improve the energy efficiency of homes in their area.

Redditch Council would like groups that could lead an efficiency project to come forward as part of a countywide bid for a slice of up to £3million of national funding from the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Each community group would need to engage with a minimum of 20 households in the local village, street or neighbourhood. These households would then be able to access a subsidy to support certain types of insulation works. These include external wall insulation for solid wall homes or cavity wall insulation for homes with narrow cavities.

The council’s head of environmental services, Guy Revans, said: “This funding is to support improvements to buildings rather than the development of campaigns.

“There is a pot of cash available and the council would like to see some of it spent in Redditch communities. We have lots of community groups which work hard to improve life in the borough and this initiative could really make a difference.”

The council is working with Worcestershire County Council and Act on Energy to co-ordinate the applications, which have to be submitted by September.

More details will be available at an information session being held at The Guild Hall, Worcester WR1 2EY on Monday, August 19 from 5pm. Groups can register their interest at the event or by completing a registration form at www.surveymonkey.com/s/BXLC5YR by August 28.

Any immedate questions should be directed to Act on Energy by calling 0800 988 2881 or emailing advice@actonenergy.org.uk.