Agenda item - Warm Homes: Local Grant - Acceptance and Procurement Options

To receive a report from the Corporate Director, Place.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

a) Approve the receipt of up to £13 million Warm Homes: Local Grant.

b) Approve the execution of and delegated authority to sign the Memorandum of Undertaking (MoU) and its associated documents (Data Sharing Agreement and Non-Disclosure Agreement) in respect of the Warm Home: Local Grant to the Corporate Director of Resources, in consultation with the Director of Environment and the Cabinet Member for Waste and Environment

c) Agree that contract(s) be awarded subject to execution of the MoU by DESNZ to enable the delivery of energy performance upgrades and low carbon heating.

d) Delegate authority for awarding the contract(s) and approval for execution to the new service provider/s to the Corporate Director of Resources, and the Director of Environment in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Waste and Environment.

Reason for Decision:

The Warm Home: Local Grant bid process facilitates a higher value bid for Local Authorities who can get into contract and start delivery more quickly. The bid submitted by Wiltshire Council requests a grant value linked to a project start date of May 2025. This requires the contract for works and associated services to be in place in early May 2025.

Approval to accept the grant and to award a contract to deliver the improvements will allow for the project to launch in May 2025. This will also provide more time to deliver the energy efficiency improvements to households during the first year of the project.

Benefits associated with delivery of the project include:

• Improving thermal comfort, health and wellbeing through better insulated and ventilated homes

• Reducing the risk of fuel poverty by offering support to the most vulnerable households using a worst first approach to treat poorly performing houses in the most economically deprived neighbourhoods.

• Improving the health and wellbeing outcomes for those living in cold homes which has also been shown to reduce the demand on health and social care.

• Reducing property energy demand and the associated carbon emissions through improved insulation and low carbon heating systems?

• Properties are adapted to reduce the risk of damp and mould and are better adapted to climate change impacts.

Cllr Dominic Muns, Cabinet member for Waste and Environment presented a report which provided an overview of the Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG).

Cllr Muns reported that the Grant is a government-funded scheme delivered by Local Authorities that will provide energy performance upgrades and low carbon heating to low-income households living in the least energy efficient, privately owned homes to achieve energy bill and carbon savings.

Cabinet noted that Council submitted an expression of interest at the end of November 2024 for £12.6m and it is anticipated that the grant would be confirmed in February 2025, although it is not expected that a full grant would be received.

Questions from the public were received in relation to this report as detailed in the published Agenda Supplement 1 along with responses.

Cllr Graham Wright, Chairman of the Climate Emergency Task Group reported that Task Group received a briefing on the 30 January about the Warm Homes Programme. Although they did not consider the procurement options the Task Group did look at the successes and challenges of the previous scheme and looked at the eligibility and selection process and support for those who are able to pay for their own home upgrades. The Task Group welcomed the scheme and the approach being taken by the council.