Agenda item

The Climate Change Manager presented the Warm Homes Local Grants Funding and Resources report for the consideration of Cabinet. It was explained that this funding provided an opportunity to provide support to low-income families in private accommodation (not social housing) and those who were at risk of fuel poverty and to improve energy efficiency across the District. The Warm Homes Local Grant also aligned with the Government’s objective to improve energy performance of homes.

Members were informed that Act on Energy were to provide customer engagement for the scheme and to work with residents. In addition, they would provide a list of properties that were in need of improved energy measures and were most likely to meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme. The eligibility criteria were outlined as follows:

·                 IMD:ID Eligible Postcodes – these were Households located in postcodes that fell within the most deprived 25 per cent according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).

·                 Households with a gross income below £36,000 per year or a net income of £20,000 or less after housing costs or Households classified as low-income, that could be demonstrated by receipt of specific means tested benefits.

·                 Properties that had an Energy Performance Certificate rating between D and G.

It was noted that there would need to be careful communications around this scheme in order to manage the expectations of residents in terms of whether or not they might be eligible for funding.

In terms of funding, there was likely to be approximately £15,000 allocated to each recipient of the funding. However, this could be flexible depending on the efficiency needs of the property. Therefore, the number of properties who might benefit from this funding weretwo homes in the first year of funding, nine in the second year and eight in the final year.

Members queried the number of properties within the District that had been identified by Act on Energy as potentially in need of energy efficiency measures. It was reported that this was likely to be around one hundred homes. However, there could be more as some of these properties might be located in communities that were hard to reach and did not always engage with these partner agencies. The available funding was not enough to cover funding for all of these properties.

Cabinet requested that more research be done on eligible postcodes and whether this was an effective way to identify recipients, particularly as there might be residents whose properties were eligible but not in an eligible postcode. The Climate Change Manager explained that there was a map available showing eligible postcodes. This would be circulated to all Members following the meeting.

Rural Poverty was also apparent in the District and this was an area that could be looked into as part of this funding. Councillor S. Webb suggested that there might be an opportunity for Act on Energy to work alongside the Citizens Advice Bureau who visited these more rural locations regularly to provide information on the scheme.

Members were keen to understand whether further retrofitting could be undertaken as a community investment project following Local Government Reorganisation. The criteria could remain the same or could be modified to expand the numbers of homes who might be eligible for funding. There was some discussion regarding what the perception of residents who received funding to retrofit larger homes within the District might be. Members noted that there were instances within the District of residents who were asset rich, but cash poor and these residents also needed help in order not to slip into fuel poverty. There would need to be careful consideration of the possibility of setting up a further scheme and any specific criteria over the coming months. If this project roll-out was successful and efficient there might be the potential of further funding from Government to expand the scheme further.

RECOMMENDED that

1)          Authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer to reflect in the Capital Programme the grant funding in 2025/26 and to include the 2026/27 and 2027/28 funding into the Medium-Term Financial Plan for the Warm Homes Local Grant (WHLG) (as shown below).

RESOLVEDthat

2)          Authority be delegated to the Assistant Director of Community and Housing Services following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate Change to administer the funding received in the WHLG in line with the grant conditions and any alterations to the delivery programme.