Issue - meetings

The purpose of this report is to outline the business case for the Leeds City Region (LCR) Green Deal, and to consider City Of York Council’s level of participation within the scheme.

RESOLVED:       That Cabinet agree to approve Option 1 to proceed with the Leeds City Region scheme as a partner and proceed to full procurement stage.

REASON:           To ensure that the council participate in a trustworthy scheme partnership with other local authorities and benefit from the economies of scale and by doing so improve take up and help to ensure that our more vulnerable residents are offered additional grant funding (through the ‘Energy Company Obligation’).

Consideration was given to a report which outlined the business case for the Leeds City Region (LCR) Green Deal and the authorities level of participation within the scheme.

It was reported that the Green Deal (GD) was a Government initiative which would operate by providing energy efficiency and other works at no up front cost to the householder in all tenures and businesses. Details of the improvements costs paid for by a GD loan attached to the property, repayments and proposed savings, were set out in the report. Problems with hard to treat properties and the development of an ‘Energy Company Obligation’ to assist were also reported.

The options considered and put forward by a team of Officers to maximise the opportunities for the city were set out at paragraphs 9 to 11 and  the LCR business case developed in conjunction with consultants.

The options put forward for consideration were:

Option 1: proceed with the LCR scheme as a partner and proceed to full procurement stage (~£41k)

Option 2:not to proceed with LCR GD scheme and look at other local options (currently none are as developed as the LCR model)

A full analysis of the advantages and risks of each option was set out in the report at paragraphs 26 to 28.

The Cabinet Member confirmed that this investment was a crucial stage in contributing to the future economic growth of the city and reducing our carbon footprint. However it was to be seen how much  the scheme would deliver as the numbers were well short of what was annually required. It was suggested that  Officers would need to look beyond this scheme and further area schemes and common house types would offer potential for a better take up.

Following further discussion it was

RESOLVED:       That Cabinet agree to approve Option 1 to proceed with the Leeds City Region scheme as a partner and proceed to full procurement stage. ^1.

REASON:           To ensure that the council participate in a trustworthy scheme partnership with other local authorities and benefit from the economies of scale and by doing so improve take up and help to ensure that our more vulnerable residents are offered additional grant funding (through the ‘Energy Company Obligation’).