Issue - meetings

The Executive are recommended to make the resolutions set out in the report at agenda item 12.

Co-Portfolio Holder for Housing (Operations and Services)

Subject to there being a successful application by the Council in obtaining grant from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, The Executive RESOLVED to:

                 I.          Approve, in consultation with the Borough Solicitor, delegation of authority to the Executive Head of Housing Services to:

a.     Award directly a contract to E.ON to deliver energy efficiency works to council homes through a public sector framework (Fusion 21) for the value of £560K.

b.     enter into a Grant Funding Agreement (GFA), Grant Offer Letter (GOL), Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) and associated documents with the Department of Energy, Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

               II.          Approve expenditure of £280,000 as allocated by the Council as part of the match funding.

Councillor Paul Rivers introduced the report, noting that Officers had made a bid for funding from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund; and explained that a competent partner was required to aid in delivery of energy efficiency works. E.ON had been selected as the partner.

Cllr Rivers stated that the report sought the necessary delegations to the Executive Head of Housing Services, in consultation with the Borough Solicitor, to award directly a works contract to E.ON for the value of £560k if the Council was successful in its bid. It was noted that officers would know if the bid had been successful by the end of March 2024.

Executive members’ statements in support of the proposal included:

·       Constraints on the Council’s ability to fund social housing decarbonisation made the proposal attractive;

·       There was a lack of clarity from central government regarding other funding mechanisms; and

·       The Council had learned from the bidding process, and that learning would be beneficial to residents in the long term.

Subject to there being a successful application by the Council in obtaining grant from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, The Executive RESOLVED unanimously to:

                 I.          Approve, in consultation with the Borough Solicitor, delegation of authority to the Executive Head of Housing Services to:

a.     Award directly a contract to E.ON to deliver energy efficiency works to council homes through a public sector framework (Fusion 21) for the value of £560K.

b.    enter into a Grant Funding Agreement (GFA), Grant Offer Letter (GOL), Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) and associated documents with the Department of Energy, Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

               II.          Approve expenditure of £280,000 as allocated by the Council as part of the match funding.

Reasons:

To help progress decarbonisation of the borough’s social housing, as one means of progressing towards the Council’s objective of achieving Net Zero by 2030.