Issue - meetings

Cabinet

(a)          agreed to re-open the Community Energy Grant Scheme,

(b)          approved the proposed amendments to the scheme guidance notes and application form, to be effective immediately; and

(c)          Instructed the Grants Advisory Committee and Climate Change and Environment Advisory Committee, either jointly or in consultation with each other, to explore options for the more effective expenditure of community energy funding, and consider implications for the Council’s budget from 2020-21 onwards.

This decision was first published on Friday 9 November and so the deadline for call-in is 5pm on Friday 16 November.

Cabinet requested that  the Grants Advisory Committee and Climate Change and Environment Advisory Committee each explore options for the more effective expenditure of community energy funding, and consider implications for the Council’s budget, and that the Chairmen of the two Committees should then jointly formulate a recommendation to Cabinet.

Cabinet considered a report detailing proposals from the Grants Advisory Committee and Climate Change and Environment Advisory Committee for amending  the guidance notes and application form for the Community Energy Grant scheme, and proposing the re-opening of the scheme.[SI1] 

The Deputy Leader and Lead Cabinet Member for Finance both expressed reservations about the proposals, and suggested that the two Advisory Committees should give the review some further thought.

Cabinet requested that the Grants Advisory Committee and Climate Change and Environment Advisory Committee each explore options for the more effective expenditure of community energy funding, and consider implications for the Council’s budget, and that the Chairmen of the two Committees should then jointly formulate a recommendation to Cabinet.

The Head of Sustainable Communities and Wellbeing and the Chairman of the Grants Advisory Committee presented the report which presented changes to the Community Energy Grant scheme, as recommended by the Grants Advisory Committee and the Climate and Environment Advisory Committee.

The committee was informed that business cases had to be included in grant applications so the Council could monitor the impact of grants that were awarded. The committee was assured that no negative feedback had been received from applicants regarding having to submit a business case.

All grant recipients had to report back to the Council on how their projects had gone. The Council supported them to do this.

The committee was informed that upgrading street lamps to LEDs was being looked at.

It was suggested that the collective benefit of the schemes that were being run should be measured.

Some members commented that they did not feel that this report needed to be considered by the Scrutiny and Overview Committee.

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee noted the report.