Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods providing an update on the development of the Home Insulation Scheme and outlining the impact of changing policies upon the Council’s previous proposed approach.  In addition, the report presents a series of options to progress the initiative and seeks approval of the option which would offer free insulation across the whole city, supported by marketing campaigns targeting excluded people and disadvantaged geographies.

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods submitted a report providing an update on the development of the Home Insulation Scheme and outlining the impact of changing policies upon the Council’s previous proposed approach. In determining this matter, the Board took into consideration all matters contained within the accompanying report.

Members considered the proposed resource which had been allocated towards this scheme and discussed those sections of the community which may benefit the most from being prioritised recipients.

The report presented the following five options to progress the initiative and sought approval of the option which would offer free insulation across the whole city, supported by marketing campaigns targeting excluded people and disadvantaged geographies:

• Option 1 – Development of the scheme as initially planned (free cavity wall and loft insulation for all private homes regardless of income level, to be delivered over 3-4 years by the Council);
• Option 2 – To stop the insulation scheme entirely;
• Option 3 – Procurement of a partner through DEEP to offer discounted insulation, with no free insulation;
• Option 4 – Procurement of a partner through DEEP to offer free insulation only inn selected wards(with door to door marketing to areas with good technical potential), with the offer of discounted insulation t all other Wards;
• Option 5 – Procurement of a partner through DEEP to offer free insulation across the whole of Leeds. Door to door marketing for selected neighbourhoods with good technical potential in more deprived Wards, backed up by a campaign across the city.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That Option 5, to offer free loft and cavity wall insulation to all private sector households across the whole city, supported by marketing campaigns targeting excluded people and disadvantaged geographies, be supported.

(b)  That the Leeds Neighbourhood Index combined with a high level assessment of insulation potential be used to prioritise Wards for door-to-door marketing campaigns, but to exclude technically unsuitable areas from intensive marketing in order to avoid falsely raising expectations.

(c)  That the outcome of the current Leeds City Region DEEP tender process be used to award a contract to the highest scoring bidder to manage and deliver the Home Insulation Scheme.

(d)  That the cavity wall and loft insulation offer be supplemented with a scheme providing solid wall insulation in some of the most deprived areas via the Community Energy Saving Programme, if suitable areas can be found.

(e)  That £1,000,000 of the existing budget be moved to 2012/13.

(f)  That work be undertaken with Leeds City Region authorities, in order to develop a follow up Green Deal/Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme to be available from 2013.