Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods providing an update on a recently announced grant opportunity for energy efficiency improvements, linked to the City Deal, seeking authority to spend a capital grant of £1,280,000 on energy efficiency grants and loans in 2012-2013 and to make a contingency budget of £10,000 available in 2013-14. In addition, the report seeks approval for the proposed approach to targeting and marketing the grants and loans.

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods submitted a report providing an update on a recently announced grant opportunity for energy efficiency improvements, linked to the City Deal. In addition, the report sought authority to spend a capital grant of £1,280,000 on energy efficiency grants and loans in 2012-2013 and to make a contingency budget of £10,000 available in 2013-14. The report also sought approval for the proposed approach towards the targeting and marketing of the grants and loans.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the proposed delivery approach, as described within section 3 of the submitted report, be approved.

(b)  That approval be given to use the outcome of the current Leeds City Region Domestic Energy Efficiency Programme (LCR DEEP) tender process to award contract(s) to the highest scoring bidder(s) to manage and deliver each of the lots that make up the different elements of this project.

(c)  That approval be given to the injection of, and the authority to spend the Department of Energy, Climate and Change grant of £1,278,400 on a mixture of grants and loans for energy efficiency measures, together with associated administration costs.

(d)  That approval be given to move £10,000 of the existing ‘Wrap Up Leeds’ budget from 2012-2013 to 2013-2014, as contingency for up to 20 small grants.

(e)  That the necessary authority be delegated to the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods to take operational decisions in order to ensure that the grant is fully disbursed. 

(f)  That approval be given to ring-fence the loan repayments in an account to be spent on future domestic energy efficiency projects, particularly preparing for the Green Deal and tackling fuel poverty.