Issue - meetings

Commercial Solar Photovoltaic Installations on Council Assets

Purpose

To seek agreement to invest in the installation of solar PV on the roofs of buildings owned and in some cases leased by the Council based on the business cases set out within this report. To seek agreement to enter into a contract with the preferred contractor for the installation of the solar PV.

Recommendations

Subject to the resolutions of Cabinet on 17 July 2023, Council is recommended to resolve to:

1) Agree to proceed with investment in roof mounted solar PV based on the business cases in this report;

2) Agree to set aside funding for contingency costs of £27,000 from the Council Priorities Fund with delegation to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer to allocate subject to the business case still being viable or expenditure being unavoidable due to structural condition of the building.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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.

Meeting: 17/07/2023 - Cabinet (Item 152)

Webcast for 17/07/2023 - Cabinet

152 Commercial Solar Photovoltaic Installations on Council Assets PDF 362 KB

Purpose

To seek agreement to invest in the installation of solar PV on the roofs of buildings owned and in some cases leased by the Council based on the business cases set out within this report. To agree to enter into a contract with the preferred contractor for the installation of the solar PV.

Recommendations

1) Agree to recommend that Full Council should agree to proceed with the investment in roof mounted solar PV based on the business cases in this report, and that,

2) The Council seeks to enter into sale agreements, for the electricity generated, with the tenants, with the terms of these agreements and the decision to proceed with some but not all tenants delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer in consultation with the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance.

3) Agree to enter into contract with the preferred contractor identified in Annex A, for the provision and installation of Solar PV. and related equipment.

4) Delegate to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer the decision to exclude any tenanted sites based on further Due Diligence associated with energy usage or vulnerability around continued tenant occupation.

5) Delegate to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer the decision to adjust the indicative electricity sale price to tenants as long as changes to the projected project returns are in-line with projections contained within this report.

6) Agree to recommend that Full Council should set aside funding for contingency costs of £27,000 from the Council Priorities Fund with delegation to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer to allocate subject to the business case still being viable or expenditure being unavoidable due to structural condition of the building.

Allocate revenue funding of £3,400/year for a part-time shared Energy Manager post and include in the next budget update. Noting that this will be funded from Solar PV income.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The purpose of the report was to seek agreement to invest in the installation of solar PV on the roofs of buildings owned and in some cases leased by the Council based on the business cases set out within this report and to agree to enter into a contract with the preferred contractor for the installation of the solar PV.

The proposal was introduced by the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Finance. The Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Sustainability stated that the proposal demonstrated the Council’s commitment to addressing climate change.

The Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Sustainability made reference to the wildfires across Europe, which highlighted the timeliness of the proposal.

The report highlighted that making an investment in solar PV would contribute to reducing the climate impact of electricity consumption within the Council’s estate (both Council-occupied and tenanted). It was stated in the report that benefits to the Council would include:

· delivering a part of its commitment to becoming net zero carbon in operation by 2030,

· generating a return on investment (as per the financial model in the business case annex),

· fulfilling one of the stated purposes of the Cotswold Climate Investment (The Council’s Community Municipal Investment Fund) and

· supporting a tenant organisation in their own carbon reduction journey.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Mike Evemy and seconded by Councillor Mike McKeown.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

1) RECOMMEND that Full Council should agree to proceed with the investment in roof mounted solar PV based on the business cases in this report, and that,

3) AGREE to enter into contract with the preferred contractor identified in Annex A, for the provision and installation of Solar PV and related equipment.

4) DELEGATE to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer the decision to exclude any tenanted sites based on further due diligence associated with energy usage or vulnerability around continued tenant occupation.

5) DELEGATE to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer the decision to adjust the indicative electricity sale price to tenants as long as changes to the projected project returns are in-line with projections contained within this report.

6) RECOMMEND to Council to set aside funding for contingency costs of £27,000 from the Council Priorities Fund with delegation to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer to allocate subject to the business case still being viable or expenditure being unavoidable due to structural condition of the building.

7) AGREE to allocate revenue funding of £3,400/year for a part-time shared Energy Manager post and include in the next budget update. Noting that this will be funded from Solar PV income.

Record of Voting – For: 8, Against 0, Abstention 0, Absent: 0

For	Against	Absent	Abstentions
Claire Bloomer
Joe ... view the full minutes text for item 152

Issue - meetings

Commercial Solar Photovoltaic Installations on Council Assets

Meeting: 19/07/2023 - Council (Item 50)

Meeting: 17/07/2023 - Cabinet (Item 152)

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