Issue - meetings

A report was presented to the Committee outlining the draft Housing Decarbonisation Strategy for 2024 to 2035.

It was noted that this strategy does not take the Council to the government target of net zero for 2050. This was due to the need to develop a realistic and achievable strategy that officers felt could be delivered, taking into account the estimated cost of £200,000k to fully decarbonise the Housing Stock and the uncertain reliability of clean heating solutions.

The strategy set out a two-tier approach. The first being to achieve, where possible, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) level C rating on all Council owned Houses by 2035. The second was to investigate the reliability and effectiveness of clean heating solutions, such as air source heat pumps, while adopting a fabric first approach to retrofitting the housing stock.

The Strategy set out a five year HRA capital budget programme. Officers aimed to top up the capital funding with government grants from the Warm Homes Social Housing Fund Wave 3, to assist with retrofitting and achieving EPC Level C. A retrofit consultant and contractor would be required for this work. This would be a three year programme, which would also require match funding, and would see up to 450 properties benefit from energy efficient upgrades. Match funding would be built into future capital budgets.

In response to member questions, officers explained that:

·         they expected government targets to change continuously over the next few years. Authority for the Deputy Chief Executive and the Head of Housing to make amendments to the strategy were included into the recommendations. The achievability of government targets would depend on the levels of funding available.

·         the current EPC ratings for the Council’s Housing stock were set out on page 18 the report.

·         not many other landlords currently had a decarbonisation strategy for their housing stock due to financial limitations. Those landlords that do have a strategy tended to be those with a larger financial capacity to carry out the work.

R E S O L V E D – that:

A.    the draft Housing Decarbonisation Strategy 2024 – 2035 be approved

B.    authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive and Head of Housing to make minor amendments to the strategy in relation to revised government targets and guidelines.

C.   the decision taken under urgency powers to appoint a contractor to complete works in accordance with the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.2 funding agreement be ratified.

D.   the procurement and appointment of a retrofit consultant to support the Council’s application for grant funding under the governments Warm Homes Social Housing Fund Wave 3 and the procurement and appointment of a retrofit contractor to facilitate the associated work be approved.