Agenda item

The report aims to gain formal approval to proceed with the implementation of the Building Energy Strategy and identify opportunities for renewable energy installations delivering both environmental and financial benefits primarily at the sites below.

• Pathfinder House.
• Eastfield House.
• One Leisure Huntingdon Dry.
• One Leisure Huntingdon Wet.
• One Leisure Ramsey.
• One Leisure St Ives Indoor.
• One Leisure St Ives Outdoor.
• One Leisure St Neots.

Executive Councillor: S Howell.

The Cabinet

(1)  approved the Building Energy Strategy with a view to complete feasibility studies on the buildings identi?ed and allow HDC to make informed decisions on future energy and carbon savings; and

(2)  to delegate to the Corporate Director - Finance & Resources (S151) in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Finances & Resources to make any consequential amendments to budgets and release of necessary funds to deliver the projects.

A report by the Facilities Manager was submitted (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which sought formal approval to proceed with the implementation of the Building Energy Strategy and identify opportunities for renewable energy installations delivering both environmental and financial benefits primarily at the sites below:

• Pathfinder House.
• Eastfield House.
• One Leisure Huntingdon Dry.
• One Leisure Huntingdon Wet.
• One Leisure Ramsey.
• One Leisure St Ives Indoor.
• One Leisure St Ives Outdoor.
• One Leisure St Neots.

The Leader – Councillor Conboy, set out the report, making reference to the engaged debate at the Overview & Scrutiny (Environment, Communities & Partnerships), noting the discussion around taking advantage of Green Tariffs and the energy efficiency of Pathfinder House.

The Cabinet thanked the Facilities Manager and his team for their work, and reflected on comments from the Overview & Scrutiny (Environment, Communities & Partnerships), particularly around the different definitions/interpretations of “Green” when it came to energy tariffs. The Cabinet recognised such concerns, and it was right and proper to bear them in mind as part of the decision around selecting energy tariffs, but there was a concern around the specific language of the additional recommendation from the Overview & Scrutiny (Environment, Communities & Partnerships).

The Executive Councillor for Climate, Transformation and Workforce – Councillor Davenport-Ray also noted the concerns around green energy tariffs that were discussed by the Overview & Scrutiny (Environment, Communities & Partnerships) and felt that some of the wording suggested in its additional recommendation should be considered. Accordingly, she proposed the following additional recommendation, which was seconded by the Executive Councillor for Resident Services and Corporate Performance Councillor Ferguson:

“To approve that consideration be given to the relative merits of a variety of different green energy tariffs, given that the expression “100% green energy” is interpreted differently by different people, when the Council’s energy tariff is next procured”.

The Executive Councillor for Climate, Transformation and Workforce – Councillor Davenport-Ray, further commented that recommendation 2 in the report was something the Council did as a matter of course, so it did not need to be explicitly stated and was therefore not necessary.

Furthermore, she noted that recommendation 1 in the report needed to have a conjunction within its wording, as follows:

“To approve the building energy strategy with a view to complete feasibility studies on the buildings identified, and allow HDC to make informed decisions on future energy and carbon savings”.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:40pm to allow time for copies of the proposed amendments to be printed and circulated to the Cabinet and officers present. The meeting resumed at 7:55pm.

The Cabinet was of the opinion that the proposed amended wording to recommendation 1 was a helpful clarificatory amendment. Accordingly, the Executive Councillor for Climate, Transformation and Workforce – Councillor Davenport-Ray proposed the amended recommendation, which was seconded by the Executive Councillor for Resident Services and Corporate Performance - Councillor Ferguson. When put to a vote, the amendment was carried.

In relation to the comments regarding the necessity of recommendation 2, the Monitoring Officer and Head of Democratic Services suggested that the most efficient approach would be that the recommendation as set out in the report, be put to a vote so that Cabinet had the opportunity to vote for, against, or abstain.

The Executive Councillor for Climate, Transformation and Workforce – Councillor Davenport-Ray proposed the following wording to the additional recommendation, which was seconded by the Executive Councillor for Resident Services and Corporate Performance - Councillor Ferguson:

““To approve that consideration be given to the relative merits of a variety of different green energy tariffs, given that the expression “100% green energy” is interpreted differently by different people, when the Council’s energy tariff is next procured”.

The Executive Councillor for Finance & Resources – Councillor Mickelburgh, noted that the proposed amended recommendation did not help boundary what “100% green energy” interpretation was. When procuring, he would always attempt to go for the vertical supply chain, and the wording did not provide any help in that regard. Further comments from Cabinet similarly shared the view that the proposed wording was not necessarily needed in order to be procuring as green energy as possible.

When put to a vote, the proposed amended recommendation failed.

Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet

(1)  approved the Building Energy Strategy with a view to complete feasibility studies on the buildings identified, and allow HDC to make informed decisions on future energy and carbon savings; and

(2)  delegated to the Corporate Director - Finance & Resources (S151) in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Finances & Resources to make any consequential amendments to budgets and release of necessary funds to deliver the projects.