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MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Community, leisureservices and environment overview and scrutiny committee

REPORT OF Head of Housing & Community Services

Report prepared by Helen Miller

Date Issued:  05/08/13  

1.           ECO Pilot

1.1        Key Issue for Decision

To consider whether to the Council implement a Warm Homes ECO Pilot, a scheme to retrofit insulation to homes in all tenures, initially targeting the High Street, Park Wood, Shepway North and Shepway South wards.

1.2        Recommendation of the Head of Housing and Community Services

1.2.1 That the overview and scrutiny committee recommends that the Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services agrees that the Council implements a Warm Homes ECO pilot, initially in the wards of High Street, Park Wood, Shepway North and Shepway South.

1.2.1   That the overview and scrutiny committee recommends that the Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services agrees that the Council should enter into a contract with Enterprise Utility Services to deliver the Warm Homes ECO pilot. 

1.3        Reasons for Recommendation

1.3.1   The council is a partner in the Kent and Medway Green Deal Partnership (KMGDP) which was set up to maximize the amount of Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding levered into Kent. It brings key partners together to deliver a home insulation retrofit programme.

1.3.2    ECO funding was introduced nationally in January 2013 to reduce the UK’s energy consumption and support people living in fuel poverty. It does this by requiring large energy companies to provide significant funding for home energy efficiency improvements every year. The funding for this project is provided by Npower and can be used to retrofit existing homes with loft insulation, draught proofing, cavity wall insulation and solid wall insulation. The government requires that the money be targeted in three ways; at households living  in the  lower super output areas with the highest 15% deprivation as measured on the index of multiple deprivation; at households receiving certain means tested benefits and at homes that are hard to treat being either unconventional cavity walls or solid walls. 

1.3.3   Many homes in the borough would benefit from cavity wall insulation, loft insulation or solid wall insulation to increase the thermal efficiency of the home. Improved insulation can help the home hold its warmth, so reducing fuel bills, reducing fuel poverty, increasing affordable warmth and reducing carbon emissions.

1.3.4   Our research suggests that the wards of High Street, Park Wood, Shepway North and Shepway South have high levels of deprivation and high levels of benefit take up thus attracting relevant funding streams and tackling areas of higher need. (see Appendices 2 and 3).  It is anticipated that a minimum of 200 homes in the target wards will have insulation measures installed.

1.3.5   The surveys, materials and installation would be free of charge to the householder and the Council and could represent a substantial investment in the existing local housing.

1.4        Alternative Action and why not Recommended

1.4.1   The Council could decide not to implement the pilot scheme. This would result in missing the opportunity to access a higher level of funding from working in the Kent and Medway Green Deal Partnership.

1.5        Impact on Corporate Objectives

1.5.1   Living in a well insulated home is likely to help householders spend less on fuel, live in a warmer and so potentially drier home and help them feel Maidstone is a decent place to live.

1.6        Risk Management

1.6.1   Maidstone Borough Council may suffer a loss of reputation if the pilot scheme associated with them is run poorly. Kent County Council has carried out a robust procurement process to ensure an appropriate provider was chosen. The Housing Services Manager will liaise with the scheme provider, Enterprise Utility Services, to ensure the scheme is run well locally and matters arising are addressed promptly.  Partners may withdraw from the partnership yet the partnership will meet regularly to help resolve any matters.

1.7     Other Implications

1.7    

1.7.1   Staffing. Staffing time will come from within existing resources and relate to officer time in partnership working, call centre time and engaging with community groups.

1.7.2   Legal. A legal contract will be entered into to protect the interested of the Council and members of the public.

1.7.3   Equality Needs Impact Assessment – see Appendix 1

1.7.4   Environmental/Sustainable Development. It is likely that the occupants of an insulated house will use less fuel to keep it warm so houses that have been retrofitted will give rise to lower carbon emissions.

1.8        Relevant Documents

1.8.1   Appendices 

1.8.2   Appendix 1 – Equality Needs Impact assessment

1.8.3   Appendix 2 – Map to highlight the lower super output areas in the borough that are in the lowest 15% index of multiple deprivation

1.8.4   Appendix 3 – Map to show the number of housing benefit claimants in each lower super output area

1.8.5   Background Documents

1.8.6   None

IS THIS A KEY DECISION REPORT? X     Yes                                         No       If yes, this is a Key Decision because: It impacts on more than one ward     Wards/Parishes affected: High Street, Park Wood, Shepway North and Shepway South