Issue - meetings

RESOLVED that 1) the Social Housing Fund Wave 3 allocation be accepted to enable the delivery of a programme of energy efficiency improvements to upgrade,

2) the Assistant Director Housing Management is given delegation in conjunction with

the Portfolio Holder for Housing to sign the required grant agreement,

3) a budget of £838,236.00 be allocated to the project, to be met from the Housing Revenue Account Unallocated Major Repairs Reserve.

Executive considered a report, presented by Councillor Phil Smith, Portfolio Holder for Housing, which informed Members of the Warm Homes Social Housing Fund.  The report also sought Members’ approval to accept the grant funding of £811,065 and to agree to match fund the amount to enable substantial improvements to the energy efficiency of Council homes across the District.

The Warm Homes Social Housing Fund was a Government fund which allowed local authorities and registered providers to install energy efficiency upgrades and low carbon measures to their housing stock.  The programme sought to raise the energy performance of as many social homes currently below Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ‘C’ up to that level as possible by 2030 as part of the journey for the social housing stock towards Net Zero by 2050.

The Council, working with the Midlands Net Zero Hub consortium, had bid for this funding and had received £811,065.  However, for the project to progress, there was a requirement for the Council to match fund the amount, and it was proposed to utilise the Housing Revenue Account Unallocated Major Repairs Reserve to meet this requirement.

The scheme would enable improvements to approximately 90 Council owned homes currently performing at a level below EPC ‘C’ with the intention to install four air source heat pumps and a number of solar panels with batteries.  These would need to be completed by the required 31^st March 2028 deadline.  Dragonfly Management would deliver the scheme for the Council operating under a service level agreement / Memorandum of Understanding.

Moved by Councillor Phil Smith and seconded by Councillor John Ritchie

RESOLVED that: 1) the Social Housing Fund Wave 3 allocation of £811,065 be accepted to enable the delivery of a programme of energy efficiency

improvements to upgrade,

2)    the Assistant Director Housing Management is given delegated authority, in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, to sign the required grant agreement,

3)    a budget of £838,236.00 is allocated to the project, to be met from the Housing Revenue Account Unallocated Major Repairs Reserve.

Reasons for Recommendation

This was a demonstration of the Council’s commitment to the decarbonisation of Council homes to ensure that households were better able to keep warm, while reducing carbon emissions.  The properties selected to benefit from this proposed programme of works were some of the least energy efficient within the Council’s housing stock.  The Government had confirmed that social housing properties would have to meet a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of Band C by 2030.  This project would help to meet this requirement.

Alternative Options and Reasons for Rejection

The Council could decline the offer and continue instead to develop a programme of schemes in preparedness for any additional funding opportunities that may become available.  However, it could not be guaranteed that such opportunities would arise, and the housing stock would still require measures to bring all properties to a minimum EPC ‘C’ requirement by 2030.