Agenda item

Purpose: To review the Council’s policies and procedures for Energy Saving.

Councillor Dominic Beock, Adrian Slaughter and Paul Anstey introduced the report to the Commission.

The report explained that the Carbon Management Plan (CMP) was adopted by the Council in 2009. The document was produced as part of the Carbon Trusts ‘Local Authority Carbon Management Programme’ and involved liaising with external Carbon Trust approved Consultants to analyse the Council’s carbon footprint. Potential energy efficiency/carbon saving projects were identified and if implemented would help to improve the Council’s energy efficiency and reduce it’s carbon footprint. The progress report outlined the aims and objectives of the Energy Management Team who managed the process and detailed the energy efficiency projects implemented to date.

The Commission heard that the Energy Efficiency Programme was reviewed by the Resource Management Working Group in 2012 at which point it was agreed that the item would return for a progress report in 2014.

Adrian Slaughter highlighted that an amendment was required to table 3 in point 6.1; the number of ground source heat pumps should read as three.

Councillor Hunneman questioned why there was no reference to the biomass carbon savings in table three of point 6.1. Adrian Slaughter advised that the service was waiting for statistics from St. Batholomews School in order to report the accurate savings overall. It was stated that the Council could incur charges if the figure was incorrect.

Councillor Jeff Beck requested clarification on the responsibility that a Local Authority had to provide technical advice to academies. In response, the Commission heard that:

·         It was the responsibility of the community to manage the performance of their carbon foot print, however, the Council provided incentives in order to encourage reductions.

·         The incentive offered the applicant savings and funding arrangements in order to implement reduction measures.

·         Applications would contain plans for the scheme of works and associated costs. The service would consider suitability of the proposal and if agreed the applicant would receive a loan in order to proceed.

·         The loan would be provided by capital funds.

Councillor Emma Webster asked what work the service had conducted to promote the available funding. Paul Anstey advised that a mechanism had been established across the Thames Valley area to distribute leaflets and guidance packs to likely applicants. It was stated that the service was currently operational on a small scale, but it was expected that the provision would expand.

Councillor Gwen Mason asked whether a project team had been established in order to manage the applications received from schools.  Adrian Slaughter advised that at this stage they had not identified a specific role to manage school applicants; these were  managed on a case by case basis by the existing team.

Councillor Lazlo Zverko asked what pay back arrangements were in place and how the value of C02 savings was calculated. Adrian Slaughter explained that there were multiple measures which could be used to ascertain the potential reduced carbon footprint. Payback arrangements were agreed in advance of the loan being issued.

In response to a question from Councillor Mike Johnston, Adrian Slaughter advised that interest was not charged on loans.

Adrian Slaughter explained that in cases where the service might have to consider multiple applications, the method for prioritising would be via the review of the business case and where the most influence and control over the project was evident.

Paul Anstey advised that there was no evidence to suggest that the introduction of Timelord had reduced energy usage by the Council.  The scheme was considered energy neutral.

Resolved that:

·         The energy efficiency programme should consider suitable interest charges associated with a five year loan for a scheme of works.

·         The Energy Efficiency Programme would return to the Commission for a progress update in 2016.