Issue - meetings

To consider acceptance of Worcestershire County Council Homes Insulation funding.

(Report attached)

The Committee received a report which sought approval to accept an offer of £40,000 funding from Worcestershire County Council (WCC) to install free cavity wall, draught-proofing and loft insulation measures for home owners in the Borough aged 60 years or over.  The offer was subject to acceptance of a number of conditions specified by WCC; that funding had to be spent by 31st December 2012, preferred use of Worcestershire based contractors and promotional branding recognition for Warmer Worcestershire.

Members discussed publication of the scheme and the criteria for allocation of the funding.  They were informed that all applications would be dealt with through ‘Act on Energy’ who would signpost applicants to the most suitable source of funding for each application.

Officers were asked to approach WCC to investigate whether the extension of the offer to any resident irrespective of age could be amended to include them from the start of the scheme rather than from April 2012.

RECOMMENDED that

1)                 the funding of £40,000 from Worcestershire County Council be incorporated into the Council’s existing Energy Efficiency Installations budget and the Capital Programme be amended accordingly; subject to which

RESOLVE that

2)                 authority be delegated to the Head of Community Services to formally accept, and account for expenditure of, the Worcestershire County Council ‘Home Energy Efficiency Improvements’ funding offer of £40,000 and associated funding conditions;

3)                 applications be invited from homeowners within the Borough aged 60 or over to have loft and/or cavity wall insulation and draught-proofing measures installed in their homes free of charge; and

4)                 the Head of Community Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Local Environment and Health be authorised

a)    to expend up to the sum approved by the Council, for the purposes indicated in the report; and

b)    subject to further discussions with Worcestershire County Council, to utilise such funding remaining at 1st April 2012 to extend the insulation offer to any Borough resident irrespective of age or ownership status or for other Home Energy Efficiency initiatives.