Issue - meetings

To receive a report by the Head of Environmental Management regarding the Green House Project.

Agreed to retain the St Ives Green House until March 2014 and to rent the St Neots property with the additional revenue costs being met from the existing Environmental Projects revenue budget; supported the development of the project as the main mechanism for the Council to deliver the Government’s Green Deal initiative in conjunction with project partners, subject to its rebranding to lose the name “Greenhouse project”; and requested a further report on progress of the Project to Cabinet in October 2012.

A report by the Head of Environmental Management was submitted (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) reviewing progress on the Council’s Green House Project, together with the deliberations of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environmental Well-Being) thereon.

By way of background, Members were advised that the scheme had been an exemplar project which had successfully demonstrated practical and appropriate cost-effective retrofit energy efficiency, renewable energy and water efficiency measures.

Members’ attention was drawn to three possible options for the future of the properties the first being, the sale of both properties in line with the current Medium Term Plan and two further options to enable the retention of the St Ives Green House as a showcase property until the end of the financial year 2013/14 

Having concurred with the Panel that more efforts should be made to promote the project and in suggesting that alternative names should be explored to avoid any confusion over the “Greenhouse” title, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

(a)  that the St Ives Green House be retained until March 2014 and the St Neots property rented with the additional revenue costs being met from the existing Environmental Projects revenue budget;

(b)  that the development of the project as the main mechanism for the Council to deliver the Government’s Green Deal initiative in conjunction with project partners be supported, subject to its rebranding; and

(c)  that a further report on progress of the Project be submitted to Cabinet in October 2012.

To receive a report by the Head of Environmental Management, updating the Panel on the Green House Project.

(Councillor DM Tysoe, Executive Councillor for the Environment, was in attendance for this item).

The Panel received a report by the Head of Environmental Management (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) containing an update on the Council’s Green House Project and outlining three possible options for taking it forward. Members were advised that the scheme was an exemplar project which had successfully demonstrated how typical family homes could be sustainably refurbished to improve their energy efficiency at a time of increasing fossil fuel prices and in line with Government targets to reduce carbon emissions.

The project had received a large number of visitors and had been the subject of positive national press coverage. Several Members commented on their own positive perception of the service the project provided to residents of the District.

The Panel acknowledged the benefits of showcasing one of the properties in order to demonstrate the benefits to residents, academic institutions and commercial enterprises of the measures that had been introduced. Members also welcomed the opportunity to promote the local economy and in particular the construction industry by providing instruction in residential environmental technology. The project would assist the Council to deliver the Government’s ‘Green Deal’ initiative, which allowed consumers to pay for energy efficiency measures through their energy bills. However, they recognised the need for one of the properties to be rented out in order to establish their real fuel and other energy usage and the associated financial savings.

The Panel concurred with a suggestion by Councillor M G Baker that the Council should make more efforts to promote the project. It also supported the idea that the details of accredited installers of home energy efficiency measures should be made widely known. Following discussions on the costs and benefits of energy saving measures and the wider opportunities for both sponsorship and other income generation for the project, the Panel 

RESOLVED

  that the Cabinet be recommended to:

a)  approve the retention of the St Ives Green House until March 2014 and the rental of the St Neots property (Option 2) with the additional revenue costs being met from the existing Environmental Projects revenue budget;

b)  support the development of the project to be the main mechanism for the Council to deliver Government’s Green Deal initiative in conjunction with project partners, and

c)  receive an update on the progress of the project in October 2012.