Agenda item

Purpose: This report is in response to two separate but related Council motions, dated March and September 2010, concerning renewable energy within West Berkshire and West Berkshire Council.

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 6) regarding renewable energy in West Berkshire.

Adrian Slaughter, Building Energy Officer, attended the meeting to present a report responding to two motions of Council regarding renewable energy. 

Members were informed that recently there had been a number of developments relating to sources of renewable energy, encouraging administrations to adopt a more proactive stance to national and local targets.

When the Government extended the benefits that could be gained under the ‘Feed in Tariff’ officers talked to suppliers to assess the best way of increasing the amount of renewable energy the authority could produce locally.

Three options were considered in helping the Council meet its obligations; they were leasing Council property roof space to private investors, the Council investing in new technology itself or a combination of the two options.

Members were informed that the Council and private investors only had until March 2012 to take advantage of the current level of taffifs.

So far the Council had not leased space on its properties to private companies due to the complex break clauses that would be detrimental to such arrangements.  The Government were looking at introducing a policy framework to make it easier for such contracts to be established.

In consideration of the report the following points were raised:

·        There were too many companies offering expert conflicting advice that confused those who wished to take advantage of Government incentives with regards to renewable energy.

·        Members were pleased to see that the Government, under the Localism Bill, was encouraging the establishment of Community Land Trusts.  Members agreed that the initiatives highlighted under section 2.17 of the report should be incorporated into the committee’s recommendations.

·        It was recommended that schools should take advantage of ‘leaseback’ schemes as highlighted in section 2.20 of the report.

·        The Council should encourage people to undertake renewable energy schemes and consider introducing loan schemes.

·        It was agreed that although we could not force schools to take advantage of renewable energy projects, school buildings should be included in the Council’s definition of its estates when introducing its policies.

·        The Council had identified a potential site for a wind farm upon Council owned property, however concern had been raised about its validity by the Councils Property and Planning services.

·        Members asked if the education centre proposed for Padworth could also include information regarding renewable energy.  It was noted that the Thatcham Discovery Centre already provided such education facilities.

·        Members accepted the recommendations proposed in the report and asked for an update on progress at the March 2011 meeting.

Resolved that:

·        The Local Strategic Partnership were best placed for taking on responsibility for, and producing, a West Berkshire Renewable Energy Strategy.

·        That the Council’s Energy Team finalise an Energy Strategy, to include policy on renewable energy, for West Berkshire Council’s estate that included school buildings.

·        That the Council examine ways in helping / facilitating others to take up projects under the Localism Bill.

·        That the Council should investigate introducing a loan scheme to assist schools undertaking renewable energy projects.