Subject to approval of a funding application that has been made to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), to approve the establishment of a Marches Renewable Energy Grant Scheme, and seek agreement to Herefordshire Council acting as accountable body for the scheme.

The proposed capital grant scheme to support the deployment of renewable energy technologies across the Marches is a joint application with Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Councils. The project duration will be 2.5 years and if the funding application is successful is expected to start in January 2019.

The application has been submitted to MHCLG for £1.197m of European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) money which would be used to establish a grant scheme designed to support the deployment of 2.12 MW of renewable energy across the Marches.

Successful grant scheme applicants would receive a grant of 50% of the total installation cost of the renewable energy technology from the European Regional Development fund, defrayed through ourselves and MHCLG.

That subject to MHCLG approval of the funding:

(a)   Herefordshire Council act as accountable body for the Marches Renewable Energy Grant Scheme;

(b)   The scheme be approved as per the application form at appendix 1;

(c)   The Director for Economy and Place be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the scheme including determination of grant applications in accordance with scheme criteria

(d)   The Chief Finance Officer be requested to add the approved funding into the council’s capital programme.

1.               Not to accept the grant funding. This is not recommended because would result in a continued reduction in renewable energy deployment as the financial mechanisms (eg Feed in Tariffs) continue to decrease and disappear. This will result in a risk of not achieving the council's strategic objectives within the Core Strategy, Carbon Management plan, Marches LEPs Energy Strategy and Strategic Economic Plan.

2.         For another council to act as accountable body. This option is not recommended because Herefordshire Council has a track record of successfully running Marches wide ERDF projects including the Marches Building Investment Grant, Marches & Gloucestershire Business Broadband Grant Scheme and Sustainable Energy in Public Buildings.