Issue - meetings

This report provides background information about the Government’s proposal to give the Council the ability to set local criteria for Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding.

Resolved:

(i)           That the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) transition period that allowed Local Authorities to set criteria to fuel poor households, and households which were vulnerable to cold, to qualify for funding towards the cost of certain energy efficiency improvements to their homes be noted.

(ii)          That the Statement of Intent be approved.

(iii)        That the Assistant Director of Housing and Community Safety be delegated to make miner adjustments to the Statement of Intent, in order to facilitate responses to revised priorities and/or funding opportunities.

Reason:   In order to optimise the opportunity for private sector households in York to access the national ECO funding scheme the Council must publish a Statement of Intent for the flexible eligibility element of the funding. Without this residents would be eligible only under the national criteria without any reference to local needs or priorities.

The Executive Member considered a report that provided background information about the Government’s proposal to give the Council the ability to set local criteria for Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding.

Officers stated that the concept for this funding remained the same, but that the criteria for who would qualify had changed. The removal of geographical qualification would allow the focus of funding to expand. They also explained that energy suppliers now have the ability to deliver up to 10% of their ECO obligation through locally set criteria, which would sit alongside the National scheme. The areas which CYC considered priority areas for action were listed in Appendix 1 of the report. The Executive Member questioned Officers as to whether these would be the only areas funded, to which they confirmed that they were merely areas considered as having the most households at highest risk of fuel poverty.

The Executive Member noted that by adopting this criteria the Council would be in a position to attract funding to help fuel poor residents. He also thanked Officers for their work on the Statement of Intent.

Resolved:

(i)           That the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) transition period that allowed Local Authorities to set criteria to fuel poor households, and households which were vulnerable to cold, to qualify for funding towards the cost of certain energy efficiency improvements to their homes be noted.

(ii)          That the Statement of Intent be approved.

(iii)        That the Assistant Director of Housing and Community Safety be delegated to make miner adjustments to the Statement of Intent, in order to facilitate responses to revised priorities and/or funding opportunities.

Reason:   In order to optimise the opportunity for private sector households in York to access the national ECO funding scheme the Council must publish a Statement of Intent for the flexible eligibility element of the funding. Without this residents would be eligible only under the national criteria without any reference to local needs or priorities.