The report seeks approval for the Council to accept Green Homes Grant (GHG) Local Authority Delivery (LAD) funding of £1,062,500 and to act as accountable body for the project and to implement the project in accordance with the approach detailed in this report.

GHG LAD funding will potentially enable an estimated 100 further fuel poor households across Herefordshire and Shropshire to be supported with home energy efficiency and renewable heating measures.

That:

(a)  The Council signs the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for the £1,062,500 GHG LAD grant funding and delivery of the project across Herefordshire and Shropshire;

(b)  the scheme criteria set out in paragraphs 7 and 8 of this reportbe approved;

(c)  the chief finance officer be requested to add the £480,000 capital grant funding to the capital programme; and

(d)  the Assistant Director for Regulatory, Environment and Waste Services be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the scheme including determination of grant applications in accordance with scheme criteria.

1.         Not to accept or part accept the grant funding.

·         This is not recommended as this would make it difficult for rural fuel poor households to receive support at the levels stated within the bid, as other funding streams alone are likely to result in significant funding shortfalls for fuel poor households.

·         This will result in a risk of not achieving the council’s strategic objectives within the County Plan 2020 – 2024 and Health & Wellbeing Strategy and will not make progress towards the Council’s 2030 carbon neutral aspiration for the county.