Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency

The Cabinet Member Climate Emergency introduced the report and explained that the investment in Leisure@ was absolutely in line with the Council’s net zero action plan. It is funded by the Green Investment Fund and the detailed business case had been agreed by the Green Investment Board.

Both of the investments will reduce energy use and cost and the purchase of pool covers will generate a 16.4 % return on investment. He noted how half of the energy bills for the council were spent on the leisure centre. This investment therefore represented a wise spend to save decision.

Makes sense financially and delivers significance carbon savings and hence on track to meet council declared net zero ambitions.

In response to a question, the Cabinet Member undertook to ask officers to provide more detail on the calculations relating to carbon saving.

In the debate that followed the Cabinet Member Finance and Assets highlighted the significance of the project for CBC since energy consumption represented a huge part of its carbon footprint. It was hoped that additional schemes would be rolled out across town.

Officers in both the property and finance teams were thanked for their input into this project which would deliver an impressive rate of return for the council.

RESOLVED (unanimously) THAT

1.            a capital investment of £264,500 to replace the existing lighting system in the leisure centre with LED technology be approved.

2.            a capital investment of £83,750 from the Green Investment Fund to install pool covers across the building be approved; and

3.            authority be delegated to the Director of Finance and Assets (Deputy s151 Officer) to procure and award the contract for the installation of the equipment and monitor the implementation.

Report of Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to approve that : 

1.    a capital investment of £264,500 to replace the existing lighting system in the leisure centre with LED technology is approved;

2.    a capital investment of £83,750 from the Green Investment Fund to install pool covers across the building is approved;

3.    authority is delegated to the Director of Finance and Assets (Deputy s151 Officer) to procure and award the contract for the installation of the equipment and monitor the implementation.

The Cabinet Member introduced the report, saying it is absolutely in line with our Net Zero Action Plan, and funded by the council-approved Green Investment Fund.  The detailed business case has already been approved by the Green Investment Board, and both investments will reduce energy use and hence costs – notably the purchase of pool covers will generate a return on investment of 16.4%

He said that at a time of rapidly increasing energy costs – and noting that almost half of CBC’s energy bill is spent on Leisure@ - this decision not only makes sense financially but also delivers significant carbon savings and hence is on track towards our declared Net Zero ambitions.

He trusted that the Cabinet would endorse the recommendations.

Having been part of the Green Investment Board which approved these proposals, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets was excited to see these proposals coming to fruition and was excited to see how much this not-massive amount of spending would save.  She thanked the team and officers for their great work.

RESOLVED that: 

1.    a capital investment of £264,500 to replace the existing lighting system in the leisure centre with LED technology is approved;

2.    a capital investment of £83,750 from the Green Investment Fund to install pool covers across the building is approved;

3.    authority is delegated to the Director of Finance and Assets (Deputy s151 Officer) to procure and award the contract for the installation of the equipment and monitor the implementation.