THIS week’s freezing weather will have the shareholders of the utility firms jumping for joy.

Prices have soared far above inflation during the past decade.

I have campaigned for Durham County Council to evaluate the bulk energy purchasing scheme, which uses collective bargaining power to drive down bills. Other councils have already taken up this idea which can cut £300 off the annual cost of gas and electricity.

But the county council says it prefers encourage social landlords to band together and use the scheme.

I applaud this. However, it will do nothing for people who don’t live in social housing and, it seems, the county council isn’t interested in private individuals.

I pursued this issue with Ed Davey, the Energy Minister, and asked him to reduce the high profit margins of the utility firms. This could have a bigger impact on reducing domestic charges than reducing the number of tariffs.

County Councillor Ben Ord (Lib Dem), Spennymoor