Decision details

Purpose of Report: To update Members regarding the outcome of the Sustainable Warmth Fund Application and agree the next steps to ensure that residents affected by fuel poverty are supported. The report will also provide an update on works to reduce carbon emissions within the housing sector in York and the sub-region. It will also provide an update on projects which are currently underway, delivering energy efficiency improvements across all housing tenures, as well as presenting opportunities for utilising additional grant funding to deliver further retrofit works in order to reduce carbon emissions, reduce fuel poverty and increase the warmth, comfort and health of our homes which will contribute to the ambition of York being carbon neutral by 2030.

The Executive will be asked to note the progress of the current Housing Energy Efficiency Programme and the award of Local Authority Delivery funding.
Receive an update about the Sustainable Warmth Competition to support private residents access energy efficiency grants. Note the submission of a grant application to BEIS under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and approve use of the HRA funding to deliver retrofit works to the lease energy efficient council homes. To approve the procurement of new delivery partners to undertake energy efficiency works and to agree the MOU with the UN for York to become an International Centre of Excellence on higher Performance Buildings.

Resolved:  (i)      That the progress in securing funding under the LAD1B and LAD 2 rounds of the programme, including the challenges and risks associated with delivering works utilising short term funding and the progress in drafting an energy efficiency strategy document, be noted.

                   (ii)      That the offer of additional grant funding of £2,380k under the LAD 3 funding round be noted.

                   (iii)     That the submission of a grant application for £280k under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund be noted and, and if it is successful, that authority to accept this grant offer be delegated to the Director of Housing, Economy and Regeneration in consultation with the Executive Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods.

                   (iv)    That approval be given to use £353k of the approved £2m HRA Energy Efficiency Capital Programme budget to match fund the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund grant (if successful), in order to deliver retrofit works to around 28 of the least energy efficient council houses.

(v)     That the use of £440k of HRA investment to match fund LAD 2 grant funding to deliver solar PV installations on up to 50 council homes be noted.

(vi)    That approval be given to procure a new retrofit delivery partner to undertake improvement works in accordance with the grant offers under the LAD3 and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (if successful), and that authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place (in consultation with the Director of Governance and S151 Officer) to take such steps as are necessary to procure, award and enter into the resulting final contract(s).

(vii)    That approval be given to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations to support York becoming an International Centre of Excellence on High Performance Buildings.

Reason:     In order to tackle fuel poverty and to meet the ambition of York being carbon neutral by 2030, both reducing energy demand through building fabric upgrades and switching to low carbon/renewable forms of heating and energy generation across all tenures.