Agenda item - Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Investment Fund: Next Steps

Report of the Executive Director Economy Environment & Culture (copy attached)

RESOLVED: That the Committee -

(i)             Agreed that officers should continue to develop a Circular

Economy Routemap focusing on two sectors initially: the built environment and construction; and the visitor economy (as set out in 3.10) and present a future report to the Committee relating to a final Circular Economy Route Map.

(ii)          Agreed the process for commissioning projects to be funded

by the SCRIF, as set out at 3.14, and agreed to the assessment criteria for considering which projects to take forward as shown in the template assessment sheet shown at Appendix 3.

(iii)         Agreed to the establishment of a ‘task and finish’ Member

Oversight Group for 6 months to consider all projects that are put forward for funding and approves the terms of reference at Appendix 1.

(iv)         Approved the use of £500k of capital receipts to establish the

SCRIF and agrees to delegate the decision to finance projects using the fund to the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture, in consultation with the Member Oversight Group agreed in recommendation (iii).

(v)          Noted the progress in planning the corporate solar

photovoltaic (PV) work outlined in 3.8 including the provisional identification of sites; approves the use of £565k of capital borrowing in 2019/20, as set out in 3.7 and 3.8 to install solar photovoltaic panels onto corporate buildings; and delegates the decision to start the procurement process and award the contracts to the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture.

13.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Economy Environment & Culture which set out the process for commissioning, assessing, agreeing and monitoring potential projects to be supported by the Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Investment Fund (SCRIF). The Committee were advised that there was a typo in paragraph 3.8 and ‘net’ saving should read ‘gross’ saving.

13.2    The Chair noted that there was an amendment from the Conservative Group and asked Councillor Mears to introduce it.

13.3    Councillor Mears referred to the proposed borrowing of £565K for the installation of photovoltaic panels, and said that as this was a large amount of money and there should be more information on it. Councillor Mears formally proposed the following amendment (changes in bold):

          2.1         That the Committee agrees that officers should continue to develop a Circular Economy Routemap focusing on two sectors initially: the built environment and construction; and the visitor economy (as set out in 3.10) and present a future report to the Committee relating to a final Circular Economy Route Map.

          2.2         That the Committee agrees the process for commissioning projects to be funded by the SCRIF, as set out at 3.14, and agrees to the assessment criteria for considering which projects to take forward as shown in the template assessment sheet shown at Appendix 3.

          2.3         That the Committee agrees to the establishment of a ‘task and finish’ Member Oversight Group for 6 months to consider all projects that are put forward for funding and approves the terms of reference at Appendix 1.

          2.4         That the Committee approves the use of £500k of capital receipts to establish the SCRIF and agrees to delegate the decision to finance projects using the fund to the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture, in consultation with the

                        Member Oversight Group agreed in recommendation 2.3.

2.5         That the Committee notes the progress in planning the corporate solar photovoltaic (PV) work outlined in 3.8 including the provisional identification of sites and requests officers to provide a detailed report to a future PR&G Committee to consider the expenditure of £565k of Capital funding. ; approves the use of £565k of capital borrowing in 2019/20, as set out in 3.7 and 3.8 to install photovoltaic panels onto corporate buildings; and delegates the decision to start the procurement process and award the contracts to the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture.

13.4    Councillor Wares seconded the amendment.

13.5    Councillor Mac Cafferty referred to paragraph 3.8 and asked how that list had been compiled. He noted that similar plans under the earlier Green Administration were virtually stopped due to the sudden change in feed-in tariffs, and if preliminary studies into feasibility had been done. Officers advised that the buildings had been selected due to their high power consumption, those that had large and appropriate roofs and a mix of building types so the Council could see which ones worked best. With regard to feasibility, all new builds were assessed, and with regard to schools the Council had developed a lease agreement and they could now go ahead and purchase their own panels.

13.6    Councillor Mac Cafferty asked if the matter could remain under the oversight of this Committee, and the Chair agreed.

13.7    Councillor Yates referred to the amendment, and said that climate change was now an emergency and so was time critical and waiting for a further report would delay matters.

13.8    Councillor Mears referred to the list in paragraph 3.8 and had concerns over some of the buildings as the future use of Craven Vale and Knoll House was unknown, and additional agreement was needed for the Housing Centre and Withdean Sports Complex, and asked if there was an alternative list if those sites could not be used. Officers advised that if any site could not be used alternative buildings would be used.

13.9    Councillor Wares said that as the cost of the borrowing was £565k, it was important that full information be provided, not just two paragraphs in a report.

13.10  The Committee voted on the amendment and it was not agreed.

13.11  RESOLVED: That the Committee -

(i)            Agreed that officers should continue to develop a Circular

Economy Routemap focusing on two sectors initially: the built environment and construction; and the visitor economy (as set out in 3.10) and present a future report to the Committee relating to a final Circular Economy Route Map.

(ii)          Agreed the process for commissioning projects to be funded

by the SCRIF, as set out at 3.14, and agreed to the assessment criteria for considering which projects to take forward as shown in the template assessment sheet shown at Appendix 3.

(iii)         Agreed to the establishment of a ‘task and finish’ Member

Oversight Group for 6 months to consider all projects that are put forward for funding and approves the terms of reference at Appendix 1.

(iv)         Approved the use of £500k of capital receipts to establish the

SCRIF and agrees to delegate the decision to finance projects using the fund to the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture, in consultation with the Member Oversight Group agreed in recommendation (iii).

(v)          Noted the progress in planning the corporate solar

photovoltaic (PV) work outlined in 3.8 including the provisional identification of sites; approves the use of £565k of capital borrowing in 2019/20, as set out in 3.7 and 3.8 to install solar photovoltaic panels onto corporate buildings; and delegates the decision to start the procurement process and award the contracts to the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture.