Heating oil scheme leads to savings

A scheme which encourages bulk home heating oil purchases, saving residents huge sums of money, is being taken up by communities throughout England, the Oxford Times has reported.

The scheme sees residents pay an annual fee of £20 to be part of the co-operative, which orders their fuel through a local co-ordinator. The co-ordinator then negotiates a bulk-buy discount.

Started in 2010 by the Oxfordshire Rural Community Council, in partnership with Community Buying unLimited, the scheme now has 600 households participating in Oxfordshire alone.

Chris Pomfret, from Community Buying unLimited, negotiates a price for 400,000 litres of fuel directly with oil companies, and this is thought to have saved more than £70,000 for the residents involved.

The initiative has now been made a franchise, which is being sold throughout the country. Some 19 of the 37 rural community partnerships have already signed up.

Copyright Press Association 2012

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