Housing Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes 202223 Award of Funding CAH 16 08 22
Renfrewshire Council · 16 August 2022
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 16 August 2022 and its agenda
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 16 August 2022 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Communities and Housing Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Housing Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2022/23 Award of Funding ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Renfrewshire Council has been awarded up to £1,657,500 for qualifying projects under the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficient Scotland Area Based Schemes (EES: ABS) programme for 2022/23. 1.2 The report updates members on the funding process that has secured this investment and the projects which will be supported. __________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Policy Board: (i) Homologates the action taken by the Director of Communities and Housing Services in accepting the funding of up to £1,657,500 that has been awarded for qualifying projects within the Renfrewshire Council area for 2022/23 under the Scottish Government’s EES: ABS programme; and (ii) Authorises the Director of Communities and Housing Services to oversee delivery and operational management of the programme. 3. Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Schemes (EES:ABS) 2022/23 3.1 The Scottish Government’s EES: ABS programme was formerly known as the Home Energy Efficiency Programme Scotland: Area Based Schemes (HEEPS: ABS) which was introduced in 2013/14. The programme is targeted at private sector homeowners to assist their participation and ensure projects to improve energy efficiency can proceed. The key objectives are to address fuel poverty, reduce carbon emissions and demonstrate an appropriate strategic fit and approach to improving energy efficiency.
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3.2 The potential benefits of EES: ABS support a wide range of social housing initiatives including maintaining stock at the levels required by the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) as well as the requirements of the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) and local authorities act as coordinating agents for all EES: ABS programmes for their area. 3.3 The Council made an application for up to £1,657,500 of the 2022/23 funding and was advised on 6th July 2022 that the application had been successful. Details of the projects included within the bid are set out below: 3.4 As in previous years, the projects within the bid focussed on mixed tenure blocks of solid wall construction type to support social landlords in meeting the requirements of the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH), as well as an allocation of funding to support private homeowners in houses or wholly private blocks which will be delivered through a Managing Agent. 3.5 The Council has secured the services of a Managing Agent with the intention of offering this support to private homeowners in areas where the Council has previously carried out investment programmes, where houses and/or blocks were not included in our programme due to them being wholly privately owned. The costs of the Managing Agent role will be met by the EES: ABS funding. 4. EES: ABS Programme 2021/22 4.1 The delivery of the 2021/22 EES: ABS programme was significantly impacted by a range of issues which caused delays as the construction industry emerges from the restrictions put in place during the pandemic. These issues include delays with material supplies and fluctuating labour supply as the demand for construction work is exceeding the availability of labour resource. 4.2 Accordingly, there has been the need to reprofile the timetable for the EES: ABS investment programme with works being rescheduled over this year and next year. 4.3 Members should note there continues to be complexity and a degree of uncertainty around the programming schedule due to the ongoing issues being faced by the construction industry. This may impact on the scheduling of works and the timetable for drawing down EES:ABS funding, which will be managed by the Director of Communities and Housing in line with the Scottish Government’s funding criteria timescales. ___________________________________________________________________ Project Value of EES:ABS (£) Renfrewshire Council Mixed Tenure Blocks External Wall Insulation 1,101,600 Managing Agent for Wholly Privately Owned Properties 502,800 Linstone Housing Association Project 53,100 Total £1,657,500
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Implications of the Report 1. Financial – EES:ABS allocation of £1,657,500 for 2021/22 to support owner participation in a range of projects within the Renfrewshire area 2. HR & Organisational Development - None 3. Community/Council Planning – Our Renfrewshire is thriving – assisting private owners to participate in programmes to improve housing conditions, making Renfrewshire a great place to live Our Renfrewshire is well – improving housing conditions benefitting tenants and private owners. Addressing fuel poverty. Reshaping our place, our economy, and our future – investment in the refurbishment of social rented and private dwellings will create jobs and contribute to the economy. 4. Legal - None 5. Property/Assets – Improvements in the energy performance of both social rented and private dwellings 6. Information Technology - None 7. Equality & Human Rights (a) The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety - None 9. Procurement – Procurement of suppliers to deliver some elements of this programme of work. 10. Risk - None 11. Privacy Impact - None 12. COSLA Policy Position – None 13. Climate Risk – Projects will contribute to reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency of both social rented and private dwellings. _________________________________________________________
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List of Background Papers (a) Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 17 August 2021 – Home Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2020/21 Award of Funding (b) Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 20 August 2020 – Home Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2020/21 Award of Funding (c) Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 20 August 2019 – Home Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2019/20 (d) Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 12 March 2019 – Home Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2019/20 The contact officer within the service is Louise Feely, Housing Asset and Investment Manager, 0141 618 6049, louise.feely@renfrewshire.gov.uk __________________________________________________________________