MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

COUNCIL

22 APRIL 2015

REPORT OF THE HEAD OF FINANCE & RESOURCES

Report prepared by Caroline Matthews

1.       URGENT DECISION TAKEN BY THE EXECUTIVE

1.1        RECOMMENDED:

1.1.1   That the report be noted.

1.2        CABINET MEMBER FOR ENVIRONMENT AND HOUSING

1.2.1   The Cabinet Member for Environment and Housing agreed on 27 February 2015 that the decision set out in paragraph 1.2.3 below was urgent and needed to be actioned within the call-in period.  In accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules of the Constitution, the Mayor, in consultation with the Head of Paid Service and the Chairman of the Community, Environment and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee, agreed that the decision was reasonable in all the circumstances and should be treated as a matter of urgency and not be subject to call-in.

1.2.2   Photovoltaic Array at Maidstone Depot

The Cabinet Member was asked to approve the installation of a 50kw photovoltaic array at Maidstone Depot.

1.2.3   Decision Made

 1)     That the installation of a 50kw photovoltaic array at Maidstone 
          Depot be approved;

 2)      That a capital budget of £65,000 be made available to deliver the  
          project and that authority to spend the project budget be delegated
          to the Director of Environment and Shared Services, in consultation
          with myself as the Cabinet Member for Environment and Housing,
          including the purchase and installation of the necessary equipment;

3)       That authority be delegated to the Director of Environment and
          Shared Services to obtain the necessary approval and consents for
          the photovoltaic array; and

4)      That authority be delegated to the Director of Environment and
          Shared Services to obtain the necessary approval and consents for           
          the Council to benefit from the Feed In Tariff (FIT) and for the
          export of any surplus energy generated by the array. 

1.2.4   Reason for Urgency

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Housing determined   
that her decision was urgent because it needed to be actioned in the
call in period in order that the Council could secure the best tariff
rates available.