What now for heating?

• WE are extremely grateful for your coverage of the “battle for 24-hour heat”. Thanks also to Councillor Terry Stacy, who listened to what residents had to say and agreed to switch the heating back on during the cold winter months. This should be a vote winner, but where do we go from here?
The options range from reducing the heating period, which has the advantage of reducing cost but at the expense of vulnerable people if there is a cold snap, to turning the heating temperature down by a few degrees throughout the borough. This is likely to be impractical due to technical reasons as most communal boiler systems could not be so easily adjusted.
What most people want is for heating to be available for 24 hours, thus satisfying everybody’s needs at no extra cost. The council, as a major user, should be in a powerful position to negotiate a favourable discount with its utility provider, so we can all be happy, warm and well.
We are aware that the council is keen to meet government targets to reduce carbon emissions and save energy but why start with the most vulnerable and elderly citizens living on council estates? I would like to know what the council is doing in its own offices to comply with these targets and save energy? 
I would also like to know what scientific evidence and technical expertise there is to justify the council’s belief that these measures would be effective? Surely, it is more likely that people will use supplementary heating or cheap Calor gas heating. This could prove counter-productive. We need to know from councillors and Homes for Islington executive what the long-term policy is and when it will be implemented. We trust this will be before the elections as this is a major issue which people may want to consider when voting.
SHELIA BEST
Redbrick estate, EC1