Issue - meetings

RESOLVED that 1) Executive endorse the recommendations of the review outlined in section 2.5 of the report and Section 2 of Appendix 1.

2) for recommendations approved by Executive, monitoring takes place over a twelve-month period via the PERFORM system with an update report to the Customer Services Scrutiny Committee at the end of the monitoring period.

Executive considered a detailed report, presented by Councillor Rob Hiney-Saunders, Chair of Climate Change and Communities Scrutiny Committee, in relation to the Committee’s review of the Council’s Energy Policy for Local Housing.

The Committee had agreed to undertake a Review of the Council’s Energy Policy for Local Housing as part of its 2023-24 Work Programme.

The issue was initially raised due to the District’s requirement of improved energy resilience within the local housing stock, as well as concerns over residents being under pressure due to the rising costs of energy, adding to the current cost of living crisis.

The aim of the review was to ensure that the Council had a clear policy on energy efficiency standards across Council stock and long-term energy resilience across all housing stock within the District.

The objectives, key issues identified for investigation, evidence sought, and key findings arising from the review were set out in the report and the Committee had put together five recommendations which would assist the Council in improving the Council’s energy policy for local housing.

The Chair of Climate Change and Communities Scrutiny Committee noted that the Strategic Director of Services and the Director of Property and Construction for Dragonfly had been actively engaged throughout the Review and good feedback had been received from the Portfolio Holder for Environment during production of the final report.  The Review would assist in determining the Council’s response to the national change to EPC requirements.

For the purposes of rationalisation, the Leader requested that the word ‘must’ be removed from the following paragraph;

            That the Council establish a Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) for all new build property within 3 months. Upon completion of the Housing Stock Condition Survey (estimated April 2025) the Council must establish a strategy for improving energy efficiency within Council Housing Stock.

The Portfolio Holder for Housing noted that Council properties at Whaley Common had air source heat pumps installed to help reduce energy bills for tenants and all Council new build properties were energy efficient.

Moved by Councillor Anne Clarke and seconded by Councillor John Ritchie

RESOLVED that 1) the recommendations of the review outlined in section 2.5 of this report and Section 2 of Appendix 1 be endorsed,

2)    for recommendations approved by Executive, monitoring takes place over a twelve-month period via the PERFORM system with an update report to the Customer Services Scrutiny Committee at the end of the monitoring period.

Reasons for Recommendation

The Committee had put together five recommendations which would assist the Council in improving the Council’s energy policy for local housing.

Alternative Options and Reasons for Rejection

Executive could choose not to endorse the recommendations of the review where they felt the course of action recommended was beyond the delivery capacity of the Authority.