Energy Consumers Network - Terms of Reference (HTML)

Background

Consumer Scotland, representing consumer interests in Scotland, is a non-ministerial office under the provisions of the Consumer Scotland Act 2020. This legislation provides the statutory basis to establish the organisation Consumer Scotland, as well as outlining its functions as a consumer advocacy and advice body and establishing a duty on other public bodies to have regard to consumer interests.

To deliver our functions, our key roles include:

• analysing and assessing the interests of consumers and the views of consumers;
• representing consumers to government and policy makers and making policy proposals.

Our focus is to identify the key issues affecting consumers in Scotland and to work with the private and public sectors so they are addressed. This includes consideration of the needs and aspirations of consumers that need more help (consumers in vulnerable circumstances); consumers of the future; and of sustainable consumption.

Consumer Scotland is establishing the Energy Consumers Network (ECN) to build upon the work of two previous groups:

• Firstly, the Energy Consumers Committee (ECC), which was originally established as an advisory panel by the Scottish Government, in advance of the advent of Consumer Scotland
• Secondly, the Scottish Energy Insights and Coordination group (SEIC) was a short life working group, established by Consumer Scotland as a direct result of discussion at the First Minister’s Energy Summit in August 2022.

The ECN draws on past experience and membership of both predecessor groups to combine their respective strengths.

Remit

Our aim is to ensure that the ECN is able both to consider individual issues facing energy consumers in Scotland as they arise, and to make links between different aspects of energy policy as necessary. Accordingly, the remit of the ECN is deliberately broad, and replicates that of the ECC. The ECN aims to achieve:

• improved outcomes for consumers in Scotland, particularly those in  vulnerable circumstances
• a clearer connection between the voices of consumers, and those that represent them, with decision makers in Government and industry 
• the adoption of principles of inclusivity and fairness as we move to a decarbonised energy system 

In addition to these overall aims, the ECN is also a Strategic Leadership Group of the Scottish Energy Advisory Board (SEAB)[1]. The ECN Chair represents the ECN at SEAB meetings.

The remit of the ECN will be reviewed at regular intervals to ensure it is able to contribute effectively to these aims.

Operation of the ECN

While Consumer Scotland will provide secretariat services to enable the work of the ECN, the ECN does not have a formal role in Consumer Scotland’s governance architecture. We recognise that much of the value of predecessor groups has been in exchange of information and the freedom of members to explore common issues and solutions.

The ECN will primarily comprise representatives of organisations which provide energy advice directly to consumers, and which are actively contribute towards wider policy discussions.  

The ECN will not need to reach decisions that require members to vote.

The ECN is expected to be convene three or four times for meetings annually. Members are expected to prepare in advance of meetings. ECN meetings may be in-person or online.

Members may also be invited to provide expertise through sub-groups between formal meetings in line with their specific skills and knowledge.

Members will agree the minutes to confirm that they are an accurate representation of the meeting.

Membership

The initial Chair and members of the ECN will be invited to participate following their  membership of predecessor bodies, the ECC and SEIC.

Additional or future members may be invited to participate as necessary to fulfil the remit of the group.

The membership term will be until the end of July 2026.

Letters of invitation will be issued to each member detailing terms and conditions of invitation.

The CS Secretariat, within the Operations Directorate, will maintain a register of ECN members and ensure appropriate public access to information regarding membership is provided. The current list of members of the ECN can be found as Annex A to this document.

Members of the ECN are expected to carry out their duties in line with the civil service code and to declare any potential conflicts of interest.

ECN Members Remuneration and expenses

Consumer Scotland will reimburse individual ECN members, in accordance with the scales set out in Annex B, provided that the person is not already in receipt of a salary or payment for the time they spend on ECN business.

In addition, Consumer Scotland may make a payment towards the costs incurred by members representing smaller NGOs (those with few than 10 employees).  

No payments will normally be made to those representing larger public, private or voluntary sector organisations.

All ECN members may claim reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred in the role.

The scales for remuneration and reimbursement of expenses will be reviewed annually by Consumer Scotland.

List of ECN Members

Chair

Lewis Shand-Smith

Organisation representative members

Advice Direct Scotland - Andrew Bartlett

Age Scotland - Adam Stachura 

Changeworks - Laura Webb               

Citizens Advice Scotland - David Hilferty      

Energy Action Scotland - Frazer Scott   

Fuel Bank Foundation - Matt Cole 

Home Energy Scotland/EST - Harry Mayers

Scottish Federation of Housing Associations - Cassandra Dove 

Trust Alliance Group (Energy Ombudsman) - Craig Wilson

The Wise Group - Ewan McCall 

Individual member

Dan van der Horst - University of Edinburgh

Rates of Remuneration

Chair – £226.92 per day

Members - £150 per day

[1] Scottish Energy Advisory Board - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)