Decision details

In approving the £9.4m Regional Recovery Fund on 9 October 2020, the WECA Committee agreed officer delegations to ensure that decisions on business cases / detailed specific proposals for the agreed schemes can be progressed at pace.

One of the proposals was the Low Carbon Challenge Fund (LCCF) extension.

A Full Business Case was prepared seeking £1.943m to extend and enhance the LCCF programme.
This business case is aimed at extending and enhancing the existing LCCF, focusing on the Green Business Grants and Local Energy Scheme grant streams and the free Carbon Surveys offer. LCCF is managed by WECA and currently funded by ERDF grant and applicant match.

LCCF has a strong strategic fit with the West of England Recovery Plan and Climate Emergency
Action Plan and also supports delivery of the Local Industrial Strategy.

Given the funding is for an extension to the current programme it can rapidly mobilise and it is
planned to launch the second Green Business Grants window in January 2021, with completion of
the Local Energy Scheme (which requires a longer lead time to get necessary planning or other
consents in place) and Green Business grants in December 2022 and the Carbon Surveys in March
2023

The Chief Executives of the 4 West of England unitary authorities were consulted on this proposal and were in agreement with the decision.

Approval given to the Full Business Case for the Low Carbon Challenge Fund extension

Not applicable in relation to this specific decision, i.e. this was the option considered.