Karen Bruce
Environmental Health Officer
Ballymena Borough Council
Background
• Ballymena Borough Council are 1 of 7 Councils which make up
the Causeway Coast and Glens & Mid and East Antrim Cluster
along with PHA and NGS
• The Cluster was formed following an invitation by the Minister
of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to develop new
joint working teams
• Its focus is on working effectively together to improve health
and wellbeing and reduce inequalities with a focus on fuel
poverty and more recently food poverty
How did the Oil Club start?
Around the kitchen &
conference table!
One of the outcomes of research
carried out by the Cluster
One of the greatest
barriers when heating
a home was
affordability of bulk
orders of oil
Glenravel invited to pilot the
scheme
What was Council’s involvement
How does it work?
Membership scheme
• Forms online or from
locations displaying
logo
• Incentives to join
• Place order by monthly
deadline online, by text,
email or leaving completed
forms at locations displaying
logo
Ordering
• ‘mystery shoppers’
• Best price negotiated
• Members advised of price &
delivery date
• Members pay supplier
directly
Membership
Operating
for 13
months
170
members
Average
household
= 3.12
persons
530
individuals
Orders to date
• 13 orders
• Between 5600
and 14000 litres
• Lowest volumes
ordered between
April & August
Benefits &
• 18 pence per litre if delivered
• 38 ppl if compared to collection from forecourt
What happened next?
• Huge public and media interest
• Winner of Belfast Telegraph’s ‘Making A
Difference’ award
Toolkit for Community Bulk-Buying Oil Clubs
offers practical advice on issues to consider
when setting up and running a community bulk
buying oil club
• Roll out of a small grants scheme
• To date 10 grants issued to community groups
• Further roll out planned for December 2013
Thank you for listening
Toolkit available at:
http://www.ballymena.gov.uk/energy.asp
or by emailing:
karen.bruce@ballymena.gov.uk