Agenda item

The Advisory Panel will receive an update from Kevin Gibbs, Executive Director:Delivery, Hazel Hill, Energy Sustainability Officer and Laura Johnson, Executive Director (assets & growth) Silva Homes.

https://youtu.be/ZaMuXDCu30c

The presentation covered the following highlights:

·       The Bracknell Forest Website was kept upto date regarding the Councils Climate Change activity and could be accessed at any time.

·       The Council had 4 principles to tackle climate change and would be measuring themselves against these principles.

·       There were 42 projects across the council directorates.

·       Big Green Week was held from19 – 26 September, which was also when the last meeting was held, the Council undertook a number of initiatives during the week.

·       Property Services had been successful in a couple of Salix bids from the government.

·       The greening our Waste Strategy had been successful, with the introduction of food waste which had been well used by residents.

·       Recycling rates had increased above target at 58%

·       Overview and Scrutiny Panel had undertaken a review to implement food waste recycling into flats across the borough which would be taken forward.

·       The anti-idling project continued to move forward, and was now at the implementation stage.

·       Work was also being undertaking with taxi drivers and taxi ranks.

·       A number of trees were being planted as part of the Queens Jubilee celebrations

·       The Bracknell Forest Giants took place in the Lexicon in August and gained national interest.

·       A ground source heat pump system was being sought for Westmorland Park.

·       The Panel discussed EV charging points in the last meeting, the council had secured £100k to roll out EV charging points.

·       £160k of funding had been secured to look at cycling and walking plans.

·       There had been15 press stories between April and August 2021.

·       The food truck name video of “Dame Foodie Dench” had been very popular.

·       Hazel maintained a database of 94% of houses across the borough of their energy efficiency ratings across the borough.

·       The Green Deal Community project had run from 2014 – 216 and allowed residents to claim 50% of the money required to pay for energy efficiency projects.

·       The Warfield Park Project 2017-18 had converted 482 park homes to mains gas saving an average of 40% of energy costs for residents. This was the largest undertaking by Cadent gas at the time.

·       The Green Homes Grant Bid 1A delivered 123 retrofit measures to 99 homes and saved residents an average of £300.

·       Flexible Home Improvement Loans were low interest flexible loans for homeowners over 60. Typical works include essential repairs and maintenance and new boilers.

·       The Warm Home Scheme offered gas connection to homes who did not have mains gas. 28 houses had been connected across the Borough.

·       Warm, Self and Well was a Public Health funded project funded over 2 years, The schemes helped those with underline health conditions and provided work such as insulation and boiler replacements.

·       The Green Homes Grant bid 2 was run by the Greater South East Energy Hub and aimed to pay for “fabric first” measures.

·       There was a Sustainable Warmth bid for £1.6m which had been unsuccessful.

·       Lots of work had been undertaken supporting the Social Housing Decarbonising Fund with Silva Homes.

·       Laura Johnson ,Silva Homes presented on the Social Housing Decarbonising Fund.

·       The funding was first announced in the Conservative Manifesto in 2019, with clarification on how the funding should be used in 2020.

·       £160m had been put forward for the first wave in 2021/22 and completed by 2023.

·       Information regarding how the bid would be launched earlier in 2021, with guidance published on the 23 August 2021.

·       The successful projects would be notified in December 2021.

·       The project would start in January 2022 and completed in January 2023.

·       The bases of the bid was Fabric First, Worst First, Least Regrets.

·        The government were offering a mixed funding scheme, where Silva homes would put in a third and the government would put in two thirds.

·       The cost caps for homes upgrades were based on the EPC performance of the home.

·       The bids needed to be submitted by the local authority.

·       Joint working took place to look at the requirements of the bid and the available stock data at Bracknell Forest and Silva Homes.

·       External support had also been sought form the Social Housing Retrofit Accelerator.

·       The bid depended on accurate EPC data.

·       The bid covers 223 properties which covered a mix pf loft insulation, storage heating renewal, external wall insulation and photovoltaics.

·       The total project cost was £584,175.50, the grant request was £351,650.50and Silva homes would contribute £232,525.

·       The project turn around was tight, and it was important to get an appropriate contractor in place.

·       The wave 2 funding was expecting to be release in Spring 2022, and this time it would not be necessary to go through the Local Authority.

As a result of the groups comments and questions, the following points were made:

·       It was requested that the North of the Borough be looked at for cycling links.

·       There had previously been a great plant a tree scheme – it would be great to do something similar. The Queens Jubilee would bring forward a number of new tree planting.

·       Tree planting alone wouldn’t combat climate issues alone in the borough.

·       It was requested that coms issued around what individuals could to do change their behaviour.

·       The Climate Change Officer was undertaking a regular blog regarding changes individuals could make.

·       It was important that the fabric of dwellings was as airtight as possible for heat pumps. Residents were encouraged to contact Hazel who would be able to provide information on the property and even visit to give the best advice for the dwelling.

·       There were no bids at present for air source heat pumps.

·       The government had asked Councils to bid on funds rather than to give funding.

·       The group praised all Hazel’s hard work and expertise.

·       Warm air heating would depend whether they were gas or electric provided and would have to be looked at on an individual basis.

·       There were no new bid officers, it was built into current officer’s workloads as and when required.

·       Silva Homes had launched a new Strategy in July 2021 which has a focus on climate change.

·       Silva Homes Climate Change Champion on the Executive Board was Rob Shaw, who was the Executive Director for People and Change.

·       The data between two organisation was shared, and EPC ratings were regularly updated. If a house hadn’t become vacant since 2013 then these hadn’t been rated.

·       The program was a national program, it was important to get a local contractor on board. It would take 3-4 months for a contractor to do loft insulations. All contractors had to be trustmarked, which not all contactors were.

·       Silva Homes had an £8m programme for planned maintenance.

·       £1m over next three years was being pledged as part of Silva Homes climate change strategy and £9m for the following seven years.