Agenda item

A report from the Executive Director. 

The Chairman invited Cllr Richard Clewer Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Heritage, Arts, Tourism, Housing, Climate Change & Military-Civilian Integration, to introduce the report.

Cllr Clewer explained that Council was asked to support a new energy efficiency and generation investment programme for the operational property estate recommended by Cabinet as part of the Council’s response to the ‘Climate Emergency’ and its declaration at the meeting of Council on 26 February 2019.

He informed Members that this was aimed at reducing the carbon footprint from the Council’s properties by installing a raft of tried and tested solutions selected according to the building type and function.  Although it was expected that the cost of this programme would be about £4.8m, it was anticipated that this would bring about annual net savings amounting to £120,000. 

It was noted that an outline business case had been produced exploring the viability of canopy-based solar panels at Salisbury Park & Ride sites. This would entail the generation of solar electricity on the sites and selling electricity on a commercial basis to nearby third parties such as Salisbury General Hospital.  Park & Ride projects were particularly attractive for the benefit of working with strategic partners and were likely to be eligible for both grant funding and 0% interest loan funding which would significantly reduce the lifetime project cost to the Council.

Cllr Clewer proposed, duly seconded by Cllr Philip Whitehead, that the recommendations in the report be adopted.

Sarah Prinsloo had submitted a question about the limiting of energy use and made a statement to which a verbal response was provided. Cllr Clewer stated that the carbon reduction programme targeted properties in the Council’s operational portfolio from which the Council directly delivered its services or where council contractors delivered council services and still retained control over the energy bills. As described in the paper this excluded those sites which were occupied by the council’s contractors, but the Council did not pay the energy bill or have responsibility for maintenance of the property. Many of these sites, which included care homes, children’s centres, nurseries and farms, were the subject of existing leases or contracts. There were approximately 200 of these across the county. The contracts and leases which were in place did not allow the Council to control or implement directly low carbon projects. As these contracts and leases expired or were terminated the Council might review its position on these.

 Ms Prinsloo did not ask a supplementary question. A written response would be sent to Ms Prinsloo.

Group Leaders then commented on the proposals all of whom expressed their support.  However, Cllr Ian McLennan, representing the Labour Group, suggested that consideration might be given in the future to the setting up of an arm’s length company to look into the production of commercial electricity.  Cllr Graham Wright, as Chairman of the Global Warming & Climate Emergency Task Group, informed the meeting that the Task Group fully supported the proposals.

During the subsequent discussion, Members generally supported the proposals but it was suggested that in due course some consideration might be given to the production of on shore wind power and also the production of solar electricity at other Council carparks.

Cllr Clewer thanked Members for their suggestions and stated that consideration would be given to the production of solar electricity from other Council carparks. He considered that the setting up of a company to sell commercial electricity might prove more difficult and research was being undertaken to explore various options. Regarding the production of on shore wind power and the use of wind turbines, more research would need to be undertaken to ascertain its safety to health. 

Resolved: 

1)To agree the addition of £5.2m capital funding to the Councils 2020 to 2023 Capital Programme to deliver the Operational Property Energy Efficiency and Generation Programme as a step towards achieving carbon neutrality for its operational property portfolio.

2) To note that a full business case for canopy-based solar panels at all viable Park and Ride sites will be presented to Cabinet for subsequent approval and to approve a provisional capital allocation of £3.5m from Council’s 2020 to 2023 Capital Programme.

Votes for the motion (66)

Votes against the motion (0)

Votes in abstention (1)