Decision details

1.     To accept the grant funding of £800k which shall be used to contribute to the overall costs of improving 59 of Cheltenham Borough Council’s council dwellings, as detailed in Section 4 below; and

2.     To agree to CBC entering into a Consortium Agreement with Stroud District Council.

Under the Government’s £3.8bn Decarbonisation fund, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) released a competition for £160m grant funding through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) Wave 1.

The Gloucestershire Housing and Communities Partnership submitted a consortium bid under the SHDF Wave 1 competition to retrofit homes to make them warmer, more energy efficient and to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions in line with government targets. The bid was submitted by Stroud District Council as the Lead Authority and included proposals for improvement works to a number of properties owned by Stroud District Council, Two Rivers Housing Association, Gloucester City Homes and Cheltenham Borough Council.

The bid has now been successful, and the funding (around 2/3rds of costs) will support carbon reduction measures to 59 Cheltenham Borough Council rented and leasehold homes in line with proposals currently being developed by Cheltenham Borough Homes on behalf of the council. The works comprise ‘fabric first’ works to 24 rented and leasehold homes to make them more energy efficient and reduce energy demand and the installation of a ground source heat pump heating system to 25 homes in a sheltered housing scheme, alongside some fabric measures to make them more energy efficient. The estimated cost to deliver the proposed works is £1.4m. Grant funding will therefore be in the region of £800k with the remainder £600k being funded by the HRA. Budgetary provision for this has already been made and received key decision approval within the HRA capital budget for 2022/23.

In order for Cheltenham Borough Council to accept this grant, it will be required to enter into a Consortium Agreement with Stroud District Council. These grant monies will be claimed and distributed to the respective partners by SDC.

Not to accept the grant funding. This would deny CBC the opportunity of reducing the financial costs on the HRA with SHDF Wave 1 funding contributing towards the cost of planned carbon reduction works.

Cllr Max Wilkinson – Cabinet Member Climate Emergency

Cllr Mike Collins – Cabinet Member Housing

Cabinet Members for Climate Emergency and Housing are supportive of CBC accepting this grant funding and entering into a Consortium Agreement with Stroud.