The Board received a report from the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which set out the approach for the local delivery of a number of UK Government funding and finance initiatives, to improve the energy efficiency and performance of existing residential properties.
It was reported that based on the evidence of the scale of the challenge and opportunity in Halton, a strategic approach was required to guide the implementation of the programme. This would be achieved through partnership working and would prioritise the least energy efficient homes and those households experiencing or at risk of fuel poverty.
The report described in detail the initiatives and funding schemes available in relation to reducing carbon emissions from UK homes, under the following headings:
· UK Government policy and funding;
· Halton and Liverpool City Region perspective;
· Energy Company Obligation;
· Challenges and opportunities in Halton;
· Delivery in Halton; and
· Strategic approach to delivery.
It was noted that although that these schemes and initiatives dealt with improving the energy performance of existing homes in Halton, the Council were also committed and developing a strategy to improve the energy efficiency of new build housing. This would outline opportunities to accelerate delivery of Net Zero homes within the Borough ahead of UK Government targets and introduction of new Future Homes Standards.
RESOLVED: That Executive Board
1) recognised the progress being made to support the decarbonisation of homes in Halton;
2) approves the strategic approach to delivery of decarbonising homes in Halton, as outlined in paragraph 3.26, to guide Council activity;
3) provides delegated authority to the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate Change, to enter the Council into collaboration agreements with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, to deliver housing energy retrofit grant schemes;
4) provides delegated authority to the Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing and Portfolio Holder for Climate Change, to approve future revisions to ECO Flex criteria for Halton;
5) agrees that The Energy Projects Plus are engaged via the existing Service Level Agreement to provide ongoing advice and support to the Council to target delivery of energy retrofit grant schemes and subject to future review; and
6) agrees that future targets and monitoring in relation to decarbonising existing homes forms part of the Halton Climate Change Action Plan and Boroughwide Carbon Reduction Strategy.