Issue - decisions

Resolved:

         i)         That the progress on delivering retrofit works following the success of attracting grant funding to support cross tenure improvement works, be noted.

        ii)         That the allocation of £1.015m from the existing Housing Revenue Account (HRA) retrofit budget to match fund government grant under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Wave 2 Fund, be approved. That the proposed details of the submission of a grant bid of around £1m, therefore enabling a £2m retrofit project, be noted.

       iii)        That the full expenditure allocation for the £2m HRA Retrofit Fund approved by Executive in 2019/20, and the associated improvement of 190 low performing council homes to at least EPC C standard once this funding programme was complete, be noted.

      iv)        That the allocation of £60k from the existing retrofit budget to deliver around 250 ‘quick win’ retrofit works this winter to support some of our most vulnerable residents this winter, be approved.

Reason: To deliver the council’s ambitions for minimising tenants’ energy bills and supporting health and wellbeing, building the local green economy and retrofit supply chains, and reducing carbon emissions in the city.

Resolved: 

i)  That the progress to date be noted on delivering retrofit works within council homes alongside the development of further analysis and options to deliver further improvements this year and beyond.

Reason: To deliver the council’s ambitions for minimising tenants’ energy bills, building the local green economy and retrofit supply chains, and reducing carbon emissions in the city.

ii)    That the ongoing preparation for a Social Housing Decarbonisation Wave 2 bid be noted following the council’s successful application for Wave 1 funding and that a business case for this investment will be brought forward later this year.

Reason: Grant funding of up to 50% of total costs can substantially increase the pace of retrofit improvements carried out in Housing Revenue Account (HRA) stock.

iii)  That the intention to submit a bid through the anticipated Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund “digitalisation” programme for building performance monitoring and data analytics technology be noted. This would need to be supported by HRA investment and a business case will be brought forward for approval prior to committing to this programme of works.

Reason: This technology can support better informed forecasting of residents’ energy bill savings following retrofit works. This will enable leverage of financial opportunities and facilitate learning opportunities as well as supporting the most effective investment in improvement works.

iv)  That the intention to continue work towards HRA stock decarbonisation within the Retrofit Action Plan, including commissioning of an evidence base to support this, be noted.

Reason: To identify long-term investment priorities and build on the existing stock analysis, and to provide net zero pathway options.