HOME owners in Devon could save £100 per year on heating oil thanks to a new initiative which has been launched across the county.

The Community Council of Devon is working in partnership with Devon County Council to help tackle fuel poverty by launching the scheme — the Devon Oil Collective.

The scheme is a community-based countrywide oil buying syndicate, which works by householders paying an annual fee, inclusive of VAT, of £24 (£36 for community organisations and £120 for businesses and statutory organisations) to join the scheme.

The Community Council of Devon then negotiates with various oil companies that supply premises in Devon to get the best price, and order the oil in bulk.

The oil is delivered within two weeks and the householder pays the company supplying the oil direct.

Anyone interested in joining the scheme can visit http://www.devonrcc.org.uk/i/documents/504.pdf">www.devonrcc.org.uk/i/documents/504.pdf for a membership application form which needs to be filled out and emailed back to [email protected]">[email protected] or posted to the Devon Oil Collective, Community Council of Devon, Unit 3-4 Cranmere Court, Matford Business Park, Exeter, EX2 8PW.

The Community Council of Devon will then send a membership pack with all the relative information needed about the scheme.