Decision details
COMMERCIAL SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC INSTALLATIONS ON COUNCIL ESTATE
Decision Maker: Cabinet, Council
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: No
Purpose:
That Cabinet resolves to:,
Agree that the Council should proceed with investment in roof
mounted solar PV based on the business cases in this report, and
that,
The Council seeks to enter into purchasing agreements, for the
energy generated, with the tenants, with the terms of these
agreements and the decision to proceed with some but not all
tenants delegated to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with
the Cabinet Member for Finance.
Agree to enter into contract with the preferred contractor
identified in Annex A, for the provision and installation of Solar
PV.
Makes a recommendation to Council to allocate/borrow funding for
this solar PV investment based on the estimated returns identified
in the business case.
Decisions:
Before the item was discussed, the Chair advised Members to refrain from commenting on the exempt annexes in public session and to avoid divulging the confidential information contained within those annexes. Members were advised to propose entering into private session before discussing the exempt annexes.
The purpose of the item was to seek agreement to:
1) invest in the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) on the roofs of buildings owned and in some cases leased by the Council based on the business cases set out within the report and;
2) enter into a contract with the preferred contractor for the installation of the solar PV.
The Deputy Leader introduced the item and explained that work was already underway to fix the roof at Trinity Road, and that Members were only being asked to consider whether to mount the solar PV onto the buildings as specified in the report and its annexes.
The Deputy Leader stated that the funds for the project had been raised through the Cotswold Municipal Investment Fund, which was intended to fund environmental projects. £27,000 from the Council’s Priorities Fund would be earmarked as a 10% contingency, to allow for unexpected costs.
The Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Sustainability seconded the item, and explained that he viewed the proposal as a vital step in tackling climate change, making specific reference to the adverse weather across Europe. The Cabinet Member also added that the solar panels would have very high rates of return, and were a fiscally sound decision.
Members stated that the Business Manager for Democratic Services had advised that the certain information contained in the exempt annexes could be discussed in public session, but the Chair stated that for simplicity and to avoid Members accidentally revealing confidential information, a private session should be proposed if the exempt annexes were to be discussed. The information would be published with the minutes of the meeting.
Members noted that this project represented a partial spend of the Community Municipal Investment fund, and asked what other plans for it would be.
The Deputy Chief Executive stated that plans for utilising the funds also included installing Electric Vehicle Charging points.
Members asked if a 10% contingency was sufficient, given the volatility of the market. The Deputy Chief Executive stated that the contingency was to enable the delivery of the business plan, this would be revisited if needed.
Report author: Chris Crookall-Fallon
Publication date: 08/09/2023
Date of decision: 19/07/2023
Decided at meeting: 19/07/2023 - Council
Accompanying Documents:
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