Agenda item - Sustainable Warmth Funding - pre-scrutiny

Agenda item

Sustainable Warmth Funding - pre-scrutiny

The Background Papers for this item have been published in a separate  Background Papers Pack for this meeting.

Minutes:

The Head of Community and Housing Services presented a report on the subject of Sustainable Warmth Funding.  Members were advised that the Council was due to receive £429,000 for a sustainable heating grant, which was designed to help fund actions that could be taken to improve the energy efficiency of properties in the district with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating D – G.  There were 2 components to this funding:

 

·            Home Upgrade Grants (HUGs) Phase 1 – these grants were intended for properties that were not connected to the mains gas system.

·            Local Authority Delivery (LAD) Phase 3 – these grants were intended for properties that were connected to the mains gas system.

 

Members were advised that there had been a typographical error in the report which should have reflected the fact that funding of up to £25,000 in HUG grants could be provided to eligible households.  The average HUG grants were £25,000 and the average LAD Phase 3 grants were £10,000.  There were a range of measures that could be funded, including cavity wall insulation, roof insulation and air source heat pumps.  However, the amount of funding that needed to be spent per property varied, as some houses only required a single change, such as installation of cavity wall insulation, whilst other properties required multiple actions to be taken, including the installation of more expensive resources such as air source heat pumps. 

 

The Council was working with Worcestershire County Council and Act On Energy in respect of the administration of the funds and promotion of the funding to eligible residents.

 

After the report had been presented Members discussed the following points in detail:

 

·            The deadlines for expenditure of the grant funding and the extent to which the Council was likely to be able to ensure that all funding was spent by those deadlines.  Officers clarified that the HUG Phase 1 and LAD Phase 3 funding needed to be spent by 31st March 2023 whilst the deadline for expenditure of the previous LAD Phase 2 had been extended to 31st July 2022.  Members were advised that Officers were anticipating that these deadlines would be met.

·            The potential for businesses to apply for this or other sources of funding to upgrade the EPC rating for office buildings.  Officers explained that the Council worked with the North Worcestershire Economic Development Unit (NWEDR) to identify businesses that might benefit from this type of funding.

·            The availability of this or similar funding to social housing providers operating in the District.  The Board was advised that funding would be promoted to Bromsgrove District Housing Trust (BDHT) and other social housing providers.  There was also a separate funding stream that would be made available to social housing providers later in the year which the Council would promote to social housing providers.

·            The specific differences between the criteria for use of LAD Phase 2 funding opposed to LAD Phase 3 funding.  Officers agreed to provide further information on this subject to Members after the meeting.

·            The proportion of houses in Bromsgrove District that were likely to be eligible to receive either HUG Phase 1 or LAD Phase 3 financial support and the availability of data in respect of the EPC ratings for properties in the District.  Officers agreed to provide further information on this subject after the meeting.

·            The number of houses that were likely to receive HUG Phase 1 and LAD Phase 3 funding in Bromsgrove District.  Members estimated that approximately 40 properties would benefit from this funding if each property received £10,000 on average.

·            The action that would be taken to promote the funding to eligible members of the public.  The Board was informed that the Council was aiming to target low-income households.  A targeted approach to communications was considered preferable to general communications to ensure that the Council was not inundated with requests and that the funding was provided to those most in need.

·            The support that was available locally to help eligible households apply for the funding.  Officers explained that Act On Energy would be providing this type of support to eligible households and would also be able to help householders identify the most appropriate funding for them.

·            The potential for park homeowners to apply for the HUG Phase 1 and LAD Phase 3 funding, following new regulations which meant that they could not apply for LAD Phase 2 funding.  Members were informed that park homes were not eligible for HUG Phase 1 or LAD Phase 3 funding, but Officers were monitoring any funding opportunities that might become available to park homeowners in the future.

·            The purpose of air source heat pumps.  Officers explained that the funding was available for homeowners to change their heating source to more sustainable air source heat pumps.

 

At the end of the debate it was

 

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

 

 

Supporting documents: