Decision details

CBC has set a challenging target for Cheltenham to be net carbon zero by 2030. CBH are developing a Carbon Reduction Strategy which will include plans for the existing social housing portfolio, taking account of associated HRA budget requirements.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has released a competition for grant funding through the SHDF Demonstrator. The funding (min 25% of costs) would support carbon reduction measures to homes in line with proposals currently being developed within Cheltenham Borough Homes (CBH) on behalf of CBC.

The Gloucestershire local authorities and Registered Providers propose to submit a consortium bid under the SHDF Demonstrator for which CBC wish to be a partner organisation; Stroud DC will be the lead local authority for the bid.

The bid partners are:

• CBC
• CBH
• Stroud District Council
• Bromford Housing Group
• Rooftop
• Greensquare
• Gloucester City Homes
• Two Rivers Housing
• Cirencester Housing
• Cotswold District Council
• Gloucester City Council
• Forest of Dean District Council
• Tewkesbury Borough Council

It is intended that the bid includes ‘deep retrofitting’ works to two CBC homes with a view to significantly reducing the carbon impact of these homes. This will involve:

-        Improving the external fabric of the building (in effect, putting a ‘skin’ on the building to improve energy performance;

-       Changes/improvements to the heating systems;

-       Installation of Artificial Intelligence to improve the control of ventilation and heating systems.

This will provide CBC via CBH the opportunity to pilot the effectiveness of these measures, and to inform our future thinking on the potential options going forward to reduce the carbon footprint of our council homes.  

If this bid for grant funding is successful, then a further decision (a Cabinet Member decision) will be required to accept any offer of grant funding, and to authorise CBC to enter into a partnership agreement with the relevant partners to the proposed consortium.

Not to submit a bid. This would deny CBC the potential opportunity of SHDF Demonstrator grant funding towards the cost of carbon reduction works.

For CBC to submit a lone bid. It is considered that a consortium bid has greater potential for success.

We have consulted with key officers within CBC and CBH as well as the Cabinet Member for Climate and Communities and the Cabinet Member for Housing & Homelessness, who are supportive of a consortium bid to obtain funding towards carbon reduction measures as this aligns with CBC/CBH objectives for Cheltenham to be net carbon zero by 2030.

Cllr Max Wilkinson, Member for Climate and Communities

Martin Stacy, CBC Lead Commissioner – Housing Services