(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Frea)
Cabinet received a report from the Director for Communities and the Environment which sought approval of Public Sector Decarbonisation Funding should an offer be forthcoming. The Council had been informed that if funding was offered, officers would need to confirm that necessary approvals had been provided to accept the funds by no later than 20th February 2021.
The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:
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Option 1: Accept PSDS Funding
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Advantages:
· Opportunity to significantly reduce emissions generated from SALC. · Contributes towards the council’s 2030 net zero ambitions. · Provides up to 100% of capital costs. · Improves a flagship facility further still.
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Disadvantages:
· None
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Risks:
· Revenue Implications: Currently unknown at this stage. Financial model to be submitted to S151 and Director prior to grant acceptance deadline of 20th February 2021.
· Funding requires the project to be delivered by September 2021. Some possible slippage may be permitted up to March 2022. Significant progress has been made already. Officers feel timescales are achievable at this present time.
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Option 2: Reject PSDS Funding
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Advantages:
· None.
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Disadvantages:
· Reducing emissions from high-emitting facilities presents a significant challenge. · Future funding opportunities are unknown. · Decision goes against climate emergency ambitions.
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Risks: As above |
The officer preferred option was Option 1: Accept Public Sector Decarbonisation Funding. Further work will be carried out to determine the optimum modelling of solar PV, battery storage and air source heat pumps. It is anticipated that this work will be completed prior to the funding acceptance deadline of 20th February 2021 and will provide S151 and Director with a full financial model for consideration.
Capital funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme provides the Council with an opportunity to move significantly closer to its net zero 2030 target. If delivered, this flagship project would cement the council’s ambitions and intentions set out following the 2019 Climate Emergency declaration and provide clear, significant, demonstrable action.
Councillor Frea proposed, seconded by Councillor Brookes:-
“That the recommendation, as set out in the report, be approved.”
Councillors then voted:-
Resolved unanimously:
(1) That Cabinet supports the scheme and approves the PSDS funding should an offer be forthcoming noting that any final acceptance by a Director is subject to S151 officer consent following due diligence.
Officer responsible for effecting the decision:
Director for Communities and the Environment
Reasons for making the decision:
The decision is consistent with the Council’s following priorities and cross-cutting themes:
· A co-operative, kind and responsible council specifically embracing innovativeways of working to improve service delivery and the operations of the council.
· Climate Emergency – Net zero 2030 ambition. This project could reduce the Council’s emissions by upwards of 30% and bring SALC close to carbon neutrality.