During the meeting of the full council on 24th January 2019, the council passed a motion (item 13.2) under the title Green Heart of Wales.
Could you please inform me:
a) What progress has been made, specifically with items 6 and 7 under this motion (repeated below) and in particular, what resource have you allocated to writing it and what date have you set for this strategy to be completed by.
Motion 13.2, items 6 and 7
6.
That the authority should put in place an economically
feasible strategy to reduce its carbon output and strive to develop
best environmental practice in its buildings
7. That the authority should look into best practice
from other authorities such as
robinhoodenergy.co.uk with
Nottinghamshire Council and
theleccy.co.uk/about/ with Liverpool City
Council, in order to consider developing local energy ownership and
supply chains but also assisting tackling fuel poverty.
b) Which portfolio holder is responsible for implementing this motion
Minutes:
What progress has been made, specifically with items 6 and 7 under this motion (repeated below) and in particular, what resource have you allocated to writing it and what date have you set for this strategy to be completed by?
Motion 13.2, items 6 and 7
6.
That the authority should put in place an economically
feasible strategy to reduce its carbon output and strive to develop
best environmental practice in its buildings
7. That the authority should look into best practice
from other authorities such as
robinhoodenergy.co.uk
with Nottinghamshire Council
and
theleccy.co.uk/about/
with Liverpool City Council, in order to
consider developing local energy ownership and supply chains but
also assisting tackling fuel poverty.
Response
i. Council Buildings
The Welsh Government’s Low Carbon Delivery Plan launched in March 2019 requires the public sector in Wales to develop and implement a range of carbon savings to meet the ambitious target of the Welsh public sector to be carbon neutral by 2030. To meet this target property officers are currently working with the Welsh Government Energy Service to undertake an estate wide energy assessment to identify energy efficiency and renewable opportunities within the Councils land and building estate. Once complete, this assessment will be used to inform an economically feasible strategy.
The Council’s housing service is reviewing its overall investment programme for council housing, to support investment over a thirty year Housing Revenue Account business plan to reach an energy efficiency rating of SAP81 for municipally owned housing. SAP is the Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure for Energy Rating of Dwellings and uses a scale of 1 to 100, with a higher rating indicating a better level of energy efficiency. This target will be challenging, and will be dependent upon the development of new technologies. However it will make a substantial and positive difference to both the energy efficiency of homes – reducing the risk of fuel poverty – and contributing to the decarbonisation outcomes of an 80% reduction being considered by the Welsh Government for all Welsh housing by 2050. The actual measures will change over time as new ideas are tried, tested and implemented.
ii. Powys Public Service Board - Carbon Positive Strategy
Step 7 of Towards 2040 – the Powys Wellbeing Plan is to ‘develop a carbon positive strategy that maximises green energy production’. A steering group of representatives from all PSB members including the Council has been set up by Welsh Government, who are the Lead organisation for Step 7, to oversee its development. The strategy is due to be completed by April 2020.
Areas of action within the scope of the strategy will include energy efficiency, renewable and low carbon energy deployment, behaviour change, emissions reductions, low carbon transport, and research and development of related infrastructure, for example smart grids. A sectorial approach will be taken across: power, transport, buildings, agriculture, land use and forestry, industry, public sector and waste
Mid Wales Regional Energy Planning
Through the Growing Mid Wales Partnership, the Council is engaged in the development of a Regional Energy Strategy and Delivery Plan for Mid Wales with the Welsh Government Energy Service.
The development of a Regional Energy Strategy and Delivery Plan aims to:
· Raise the level of ambition regionally on energy (heat, power, transport)
· Secure cross-sector stakeholder engagement (private, public & third sector) and support for a shared, place-based low carbon energy system vision for the Mid Wales region
· Provide an evidence base to inform prioritised investments in local and regional energy systems
· Develop a regional pipeline of deliverable projects and programmes that will achieve the vision
· Explore opportunities to integrate low carbon energy proposals into the Mid Wales Growth Deal
A Mid Wales Regional Energy Planning Workshop took place in April 2019. This was organised by Powys CC and the Welsh Government Energy Agency on behalf of the GMW Partnership. 50 delegates attended the event from across the private, public and third sector. The event was part of engagement to support the development of the Regional Energy Strategy and Delivery Plan and the Mid Wales Growth Deal.
It is envisaged that initial work on the preparation of the Mid Wales Energy Strategy and Delivery Plan will be completed by December 2019.
Best Practice from other Local Authorities
The Powys PSB Low Carbon Energy Strategy and Mid Wales Regional Energy Planning work streams outlined above will examine and draw on best practice from other areas in the UK and further afield to help inform their preparation and recommendations. This will include examining the potential of a local energy company such as those set up by Liverpool and Nottinghamshire City Councils and other opportunities including those outlined under part 7 of the motion.
b) Which portfolio holder is responsible for implementing this motion?
Cllr Aled Davies is the Portfolio Member for sustainability.
In response to Mr Thorp’s supplementary question, the Portfolio Holder confirmed that the council would be willing to have discussions with community groups about the possibility of developing community energy projects on its property estate.
Supporting documents: