Up to 13 new authorities – including one of England's core cities – are poised to join local government's snowballing energy-buying initiative, which could see residents' bills slashed by hundreds of pounds a year.

The MJ this week discovered that Newcastle City Council and Oldham MBC are considering launching local schemes under which they will either promote and co-ordinate collective energy switching to achieve lower bills for residents, or act as a bulk purchaser to help reduce bills.