Issue - meetings

To obtain agreement for the identification and implementation of energy saving measures in Council owned Community Centres and for the remaining balance in the Big Society Fund to be reallocated to support that.

RESOLVED that –

(a)         in support of the Council’s commitment to carbon neutrality, the remaining monies within the Big Society Fund be reallocated to support the Council’s community buildings in assessing the most suitable green energy improvements and to implement them where appropriate and to cease the Big Society Fund;

(b)         the Deputy Chief Executive be authorised to reach agreement and expend funds on identified works at Community Centres where formal leases and robust management practices are in place;

(c)         Officers prepare a further report detailing further energy efficiency measures that could be implemented at community centres which cannot be funded as above; and

(d)         Officers be requested to ensure that formal leases are set in place for all community centres owned by the Council on similar standard terms, including the requirement in new leases to work to facilitate the activities of public and third sector partners.

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Corporate Finance and Governance Portfolio Holder (A.3) which sought its agreement for the identification and implementation of energy saving measures in Council owned Community Centres and for the remaining balance in the Big Society Fund to be reallocated to support that initiative.

Members were aware that the Council had declared a climate emergency and priority to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.

Cabinet recalled that the Big Society Fund had been launched in April 2011 and to date had awarded over £800,000 in grants to a wide variety of organisations and projects in the local area.  There was now £78,400 remaining in the fund which was not considered sufficient to invite a further round of bids as many of the applicants would likely have no chance of receiving any funding.  The Portfolio Holder had expressed his wish to see the remaining money used to support the carbon neutrality agenda and community buildings and he was therefore proposing that the remaining fund be reallocated in order to assess the Council’s community centre buildings and support Green Energy improvements to reduce their outgoings and make them more sustainable.

Members were made aware that it was unlikely that the fund available would complete all of the measures possible and it was unlikely that any of the existing buildings would achieve Carbon neutrality in their own right. It was therefore proposed that a further report be prepared identifying further works that might be advantageous in terms of viable works to the buildings and that further measures beyond that aimed at carbon neutrality be considered within that project.

Having considered the proposals contained within the Portfolio Holder’s report:-

It was moved by Councillor G V Guglielmi, seconded by Councillor McWilliams and:-

RESOLVED that –

(a)       in support of the Council’s commitment to carbon neutrality, the remaining monies within the Big Society Fund be reallocated to support the Council’s community buildings in assessing the most suitable green energy improvements and to implement them where appropriate and to cease the Big Society Fund;

(b)       the Deputy Chief Executive be authorised to reach agreement and expend funds on identified works at Community Centres where formal leases and robust management practices are in place;

(c)       Officers prepare a further report detailing further energy efficiency measures that could be implemented at community centres which cannot be funded as above; and

(d)       Officers be requested to ensure that formal leases are set in place for all community centres owned by the Council on similar standard terms, including the requirement in new leases to work to facilitate the activities of public and third sector partners.

Pursuant to the provisions of Article 7.08 [1.5] (ii) of the Council’s Constitution the Leader of the Tendring Independents Group (Councillor M E Stephenson) and the Leader of the Labour Group (Councillor I J Henderson) both requested that their Group’s opposition to this decision be recorded in the minutes.