Decision details

York has been allocated £5.1m from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to implement the investment plan that was agreed by DLUHC in January 2023. In October 2022, CYC Executive gave delegated authority to the Corporate Director of Place to implement this Investment Plan, in consultation with the relevant Executive Members and the York UKSPF Partnership Board.

York’s UKSPF Partnership Board considered that the need to provide sound advice to residents on how to reduce their energy bills through efficiency measures has been heighted and decided to allocate £118,200 to York Community Energy (YCE) in the SPF Investment Plan, under the intervention ‘community measures to reduce the cost of living’. YCE provide free energy advice and support to York households, along with installing energy-saving measures to those on low incomes, aged 65 or over or experiencing long-term physical or mental health conditions.

YCE received funding to carry out activities within the 22/23 financial year, with an underspend enabling them to carry on activities in their second year of delivery. Second- and third-year funding was paused until after the May 2023 local elections, and the York SPF Partnership Board and Executive Member have since indicated that they wish to continue with this project. CYC officers have worked to ensure that this project with YCE works in conjunction with DESNZ Local Energy Advice Demonstrator (LEAD) project, which focuses on conservation areas and traveller sites in York, so that support to residents to take-up energy efficiency measures is maximized. The decision concerns the release the remaining UKSPF funding to YCE.

Decision: To allocate a total of £118,200 to York Community Energy for York SPF intervention E13.

A) To award the remaining pre-allocated funding to York Community Energy, worth £83,000 until March 2025.

B) To request further information before making a decision

C) To reject the award of further funding to York Community Energy.

Options B and C were rejected.