Decisions

The government has opened a bidding opportunity for Freeports, with a closing date for applications of the 5 February 2021. The detailed prospectus is at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freeports-bidding-prospectus

The WECA Committee (decision taken on 31 January 2020) gave approval to £100k from 2020/21 surplus Treasury Management income being allocated to create a revenue fund to enable the Combined Authority to respond quickly to potential new grant bids and/or any other inward investment opportunities.

In light of the Freeport bidding opportunity, a proposal was developed to engage consultants to carry out research into the potential scale and scope of a Freeport application located in the West of England, and to prepare a bid. The Mayors, Leaders and Chief Executives of the 4 West of England unitary authorities were consulted on this proposal.

That an allocation of up to £70,000 be made to engage consultants to carry out research into the potential scale and scope of a Freeport application located in the West of England, and to prepare a bid mindful of the timescale for the bidding opportunity.

The LCCF supports the delivery of WECA’s Climate Emergency Declaration to achieve net zero carbon by 2030, through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the promotion of low carbon solutions. It also supports the West of England Recovery Plan, stimulating the economy through low carbon works and reduced energy costs.

The LCCF is funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The managing authority is the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG). The £200k allocated to housing retrofit can pay for up to 40% of eligible capital costs. It must improve the energy efficiency of 25 homes, through innovative technologies or techniques, by the end of December 2021.

This decision relates to a proposal to conditionally award a £200k grant from the LCCF to Bristol City Council as match funding for a bid to the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator (SHDF Demonstrator). This £3.6m Bristol Energiesprong Demonstrator Project will retrofit 40 Council owned houses and develop innovative solutions to enable the roll out of a whole-house retrofit programme to thousands of properties.

Further information is set out in the enclosed background paper.

That a £200k grant from the Low Carbon Challenge Fund (LCCF) be conditionally awarded to Bristol City Council (BCC) as match funding for a bid to the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) Demonstrator in connection with the Bristol Energiesprong Demonstrator Project.

This grant is awarded subject to the following conditions being met:
a. The award of adequate SHDF Demonstrator grant to the project to make it financially viable, evidenced through formal notification from BEIS.
b. Planning approval to be in place by Autumn 2021, evidenced by formal notification of the approval of full planning permission from the Local Planning Authority.
c. Agreement of a grant draw-down schedule with WECA by the end of March 2021, against the first 25 homes completed.
d. Agreed outputs with WECA for shared learning and supply chain development in the region.