Issue - meetings

The Combined Authority Committee RESOLVED:

1. To ringfence £3m of the £30m Green Recovery Fund towards a Retrofit programme subject to business case approval.

2. To allocate £200k from the Green Recovery Fund to create a Retrofit Step-Up programme and delegate the approval of a Feasibility and Development Funding Application to the Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief Executives of the constituent councils.

The Combined Authority Committee considered a report which sought approval to ringfence £3m of the £30m Green Recovery Fund towards a retrofit programme (subject to business case approval) and to allocate £200k from the Green Recovery Fund to create a retrofit step-up programme (agenda item 10).

The Chair stressed that the region has the clear ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and become net zero by 2030 – this must include driving forward action on the highest sources of emissions, including those caused from buildings.  It was essential to increase the pace of retrofitting properties to make them more energy efficient and move them away from gas heating; achieving this would save thousands of tons of carbon as well as creating jobs and business opportunities for residents. The report summarised the positive action already being taken forward on developing a retrofit programme and sought specific next-stage funding approvals to progress work in this area.

The Chair then moved the report recommendations.

This motion was seconded by Councillor Savage.

Councillor Savage welcomed the proposals as set out in the report and looked forward to the collaborative action that would be taken forward to make the biggest possible difference in this area.

Mayor Rees also welcomed the report, drawing attention to the place-based practical interventions that would be actioned to deliver the required action in terms of retrofitting buildings.  It would be important to deliver at pace and move ‘up to scale’, and to target action at those communities most at risk of being left behind by economic restructuring.  In terms of recommendation 2, which referred to delegating the approval of a Feasibility and Development FundingApplication to the Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the ChiefExecutives of the constituent councils, it was important to be clear that the term ‘in consultation with’ means that such delegations must be exercised in the spirit of full collaboration between the authorities.

Councillor Guy concurred with the above comments and stressed the importance of ensuring that people on the lowest incomes were not left behind as climate change action was taken forward.  It would also be important to continue to lobby government to increase funding to support retrofit.

The Combined Authority Committee RESOLVED:

1. To ringfence £3m of the £30m Green Recovery Fund towards a retrofit programme subject to business case approval.

2. To allocate £200k from the Green Recovery Fund to create a Retrofit Step-Up

 programme and delegate the approval of a Feasibility and Development Funding

 Application to the Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief

 Executives of the constituent Councils.