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It was in some ways an embarrassment that these Orders were suspended by the
Secretary of State. It arose because the solid fuel manufacturers and producers had
failed to meet the demand. The fuel merchants serving the area had found it impossible
to forecast the likely short-fall in the supplies of solid smokeless fuel but fortunately in
the event the shortage was small and little bituminous coal was burnt. This was mainly
due to the large majority of consumers demanding smokeless fuels in preference to coal.
Indeed the greatest proportion of this coal was taken up by old aged pensioners because
of its initial low cost when compared with premium cokes such as Coalite and Rexco,
although the cost of heat produced is the most expensive. This is illustrated in the table
to follow.
In July 1971, the Secretary of State for the Environment assured all local authorities
that supplies of solid smokeless fuels seemed likely to meet consumer demand indicating
that it was not expected that there would be any further need to suspend smoke control
orders. No supply difficulties were experienced until the miners' strike at the end of the
year and at the time of writing supplies of solid smokeless fuels are not seriously affected.
When discussing heating costs and the pensioners' preference for coal it is interesting
to compare the figures in the following table which are based on the appliance efficiencies
and annual fuel consumption set out in the 1963 White Paper "Domestic Fuel Supplies
and the Clean Air Policy." Gas coke is no longer sold retail in the borough.