New energy tariff which could save households up to £300 a year to launch in Wakefield in October

White Rose Energy, a not-for-profit enterprise, was set up as a partnership between Leeds City Council and small Nottingham-based supplier Robin Hood Energy in 2016.

A report in May suggested that some households in Wakefield could save as much as £300 a year if they sign up to the scheme.

Since the enterprise started, local authorities in Bradford and Calderdale have also signed up, and Leeds City Council said earlier this year that White Rose was beating big-name energy brands on customer satisfaction.

Speaking at a scrutiny committee meeting on Monday, Wakefield Council officer Mark Hooton said a deal between the local authority and White Rose was in the "final stages" of being signed.

Mr Hooton, who is the council's team leader for housing policy and energy, said: "We envisage it will be ready for next month.

"The council will be able to set its own domestically-endorsed tariffs for residents.

"That will be a two year project to try the concept and see if it is accepted by the district.

"I know we are close (to finalising the partnership)."

White Rose Energy says that all money it makes from customers is re-invested into the service and ploughed into environmental projects.

On its website, it says: "We aim to offer energy tariffs that are both easy to understand and stable over the long-term, so that customers are not hit with sudden, unexpected cost increases later down the line.

"Our main ambition is to help people to stay warm and comfortable in their own homes, without breaking the bank.

"We also recognise that switching energy providers should be easy and for that reason we try to make it as simple as possible to switch to us."

Around 40 per cent of homes across the Wakefield district are currently classed as being in "fuel poverty".

The council has said it expects this proportion to decline as a result of the White Rose deal.

Local Democracy Reporting Service