Agenda item

5.1

It was moved by Councillor Christine Gilligan Kubo, and seconded by Councillor Douglas Johnson, that:-

This Council believes:-

(a)      that, if Sheffield is to play its part in achieving the Paris Climate targets, meet its net zero target by 2030 and address the cost of living crisis, we need to reduce energy demand through energy efficiency measures such as retrofitting homes and other buildings; and to significantly raise the amount of energy we produce from renewable sources;

(b)      having more of our energy produced from renewable sources helps us control costs by having secure forms of energy generated locally; energy security means that the UK is less at the mercy of dubious and undemocratic regimes with poor human rights records that are often the suppliers of fossil fuels;

This Council resolves:-

(c)      to ask the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee to consider:-

(i)       conducting an audit of the potential for renewable energy installations and energy efficiency measures on all Council land and property, draw up a priority list for installations based on the most potential to save energy and generate clean energy, and present it to the Committee within 6 months;

(ii)       installing solar photovoltaics on all new build Council-owned buildings where technically feasible, recognising that integrated roof systems are cheaper to install than retrofitting solar systems after construction;

(iii)      creating a Local Area Energy Plan for Sheffield that has the buy-in of the wider community and lead a local area energy planning process that involves both the network operators and other key stakeholders, including developers, energy experts and community energy groups;

(iv)      investigating establishing strategic partnerships with renewable and energy efficiency installers to help ensure certainty on cost and delivery of measures and report back to the Committee within 6 months;

(v)      encouraging the establishment of partnerships with local Community Renewables organisations to enable low cost/no cost installations funded through citizens’ investments;

(vi)      maximising external funding to finance installations using Government, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and any ethical sources;

(vii)     using funding available for solar installations from Cooperatives on Council buildings and encouraging take up of this funding by large commercial organisations;

(viii)    encouraging wider community investment in local renewable energy projects through a range of measures including, but not limited to, Community Share Offers and Municipal Bonds;

(ix)      developing a compelling offer for private householders and landlords to support the installation of solar photovoltaics and high cost energy efficiency measures;

(x)      encouraging best practice in Planning to support renewable energy installations by developers and to create a low carbon energy supply;

(xi)      encouraging renewable and energy efficiency skills by establishing links and relationships between our partners in the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency sectors with appropriate local training and education providers;

(xii)     ensuring training opportunities and new skills are included in all projects and that contracts related to energy efficiency and renewables should include commitments from contractors on providing training opportunities and new skills for local people; and

(xiii)    requiring new energy generation projects of 5MW or above to have at least 5% local ownership.

5.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Minesh Parekh, and seconded by Councillor Ruth Milsom, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.       the addition of new paragraphs (c) to (i) as follows:-

          That this Council:-

(c)      believes that the Co-operative Party’s plan for community-owned energy, which sets out how the Government can scale up community-owned energy - including through establishing a new National Community Energy fund and developing a National Community Energy Strategy - would give local people control over renewable production and deliver energy sovereignty for our communities;

(d)      believes that, as part of the on-going development of the Ethical Procurement Policy and Community Wealth Building Charter, the Council must work to remove procurement barriers to producers selling their energy locally, and believes allowing councils to prioritise community-owned projects in procurement and planning would level the playing-field between community-owned energy and privately-owned giants;

(e)      believes that the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s Energy Strategy is right to set ambitions to double the number of community energy organisations in South Yorkshire by 2040, and produce 100kW of community energy per year by 2030;

(f)       believes that the Council must continue working alongside Sheffield MPs to put pressure on the Government to deliver the Local Electricity Bill, in order to deliver more clean, local energy that benefits local communities; 

(g)      supports the £3.5m of capital investment put forward through the Labour Group’s budget amendment approved in March 2022 - to decarbonise community buildings, install renewable energy infrastructure, and enact energy efficiency measures – and believes this shows the Council’s ambition to deliver Clean Growth and to help Sheffield through the cost-of-living crisis; 

(h)      notes that Sheffield generates more renewable energy than other comparable cities, but has relatively low levels of solar, wind and hydroelectricity; and believes, therefore, this investment is key to creating jobs and reducing emissions from the Council’s 38,000 homes and 4,000 land and property assets including community buildings;

(i)       notes that the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee recently approved £13.24 million to improve insulation on 117 ‘Airey’ properties and £10.42 million to install external wall and roof insulation to 255 Council homes;

2.       the re-lettering of original paragraph (c) as a new paragraph (j);

3.       the insertion, in the sub-paragraph (i) of new paragraph (j), of the words “ensuring that this is considered as part of the on-going Community Asset Plan” immediately prior to the words “and present it to the Committee within 6 months”;

4.       the insertion, at the end of the sub-paragraph (iii) of new paragraph (j), of the words “- with each Local Area Committee (LAC) involved and maximising the ‘tool kit for engagement’ in the development of Local Area Energy Plans”;

5.       the replacement, at the beginning of the sub-paragraph (ix) of new paragraph (j), of the word “developing” by the words “working alongside the Housing Policy Committee to develop”;

6.       the replacement, at the beginning of the sub-paragraph (xii) of new paragraph (j), of the word “ensuring” by the words “working alongside the Economic Development and Skills Policy Committee to ensure”;

7.       the replacement of “5%” by “20%”, in the sub-paragraph (xiii) of new paragraph (j); and

8.       the addition of a new sub-paragraph (j)(viii) as follows, and the re-lettering of sub-paragraphs (j)(viii) to (xiii) as new sub-paragraphs (j)(ix) to (xiv):-

(j)(viii)working with the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee to address procurement barriers to support community energy installations on Council buildings through the development of Sheffield’s Ethical Procurement Policies and Community Wealth Building Charter;

5.3

It was then formally moved by Councillor Andrew Sangar, and formally seconded by Councillor Barbara Masters, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraph (c) and the addition of a new paragraph (c) as follows:-

(c)      to ask the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee to consider creating a Local Area Energy Plan for Sheffield and leading a local energy planning process to identify the most effective route for Sheffield to meet its net zero target, examining the following proposals:-

(i)       working to reduce energy demand by investing in insulation and alternative heating systems which use non-carbon energy sources, including exploring how to deliver the long delayed insulation works to council stock;

(ii)       encouraging the creation of Local Energy Grids where new renewable energy infrastructure is installed, insulating local businesses and residents from large swings in the wider market, and working with the Parish and Town Councils to achieve this;

(iii)      investigate expanding the district heating system to a greater number of homes and businesses, and examining the use of mine water to provide geothermal heat, capitalising on the recently announced exemption of heat networks from business rates;

(iv)      conducting an audit of the potential for renewable energy installations and energy efficiency measures on all Council land and property, draw up a priority list for installations based on the most potential to save energy and generate clean energy, and presenting it to the Committee within 6 months;

(v)      investigate incorporating sources of renewable energy generation into all Council-owned buildings where technically and financially feasible;

(vi)      maximising external funding to finance installations using Government, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, and other funding sources, particularly to address retrofitting insulation and use of carbon-based heating;

(vii)     examine the feasibility through this planning process of introducing a 'Greener Sheffield Fund', managed by Local Area Committees to allow local communities to dictate how they would like to invest in their environment;

(viii)    examining how best to support businesses in the city to shrink their carbon footprint, for example through installing solar panels and decarbonising their supply chain; and

(ix)      drawing on the steps made towards net zero of Liberal Democrat-led councils, such as South Somerset's investment in a 25MW battery energy storage facility supporting development of renewable energy, Bedford's installation of a hydropower facility on the River Great Ouse, and Colchester's planning policy mandating EV charging points on all new homes.

5.4

After contributions from two other Members, and following the decline of the right of reply by Councillor Christine Gilligan Kubo, the amendment moved by Councillor Minesh Parekh was put to the vote and was carried.

5.4.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 47 Members; AGAINST - 0 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 28 Members.  In voting to abstain, the Liberal Democrat Group Members abstained on paragraphs (e), (g) and (h) in Part 1, plus Part 8 of the amendment; but voted for paragraphs (f) and (i) in Part 1 and Parts 4, 5 and 6 of the amendment; and voted against paragraphs (c) and (d) in Part 1 and Parts 2, 3 and 7 of the amendment. The Green Group Members voted for, but against paragraphs (e) and (h) in Part 1 of the amendment.)

5.5

The amendment moved by Councillor Andrew Sangar was then put to the vote and was lost.

5.5.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 28 Members; AGAINST - 45 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 0 Members.)

5.6

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED:

That this Council believes:-

(a)      that, if Sheffield is to play its part in achieving the Paris Climate targets, meet its net zero target by 2030 and address the cost of living crisis, we need to reduce energy demand through energy efficiency measures such as retrofitting homes and other buildings; and to significantly raise the amount of energy we produce from renewable sources;

(b)      having more of our energy produced from renewable sources helps us control costs by having secure forms of energy generated locally; energy security means that the UK is less at the mercy of dubious and undemocratic regimes with poor human rights records that are often the suppliers of fossil fuels;

That this Council:-

(c)      believes that the Co-operative Party’s plan for community-owned energy, which sets out how the Government can scale up community-owned energy - including through establishing a new National Community Energy fund and developing a National Community Energy Strategy - would give local people control over renewable production and deliver energy sovereignty for our communities;

(d)      believes that, as part of the on-going development of the Ethical Procurement Policy and Community Wealth Building Charter, the Council must work to remove procurement barriers to producers selling their energy locally, and believes allowing councils to prioritise community-owned projects in procurement and planning would level the playing-field between community-owned energy and privately-owned giants;

(e)      believes that the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s Energy Strategy is right to set ambitions to double the number of community energy organisations in South Yorkshire by 2040, and produce 100kW of community energy per year by 2030;

(f)       believes that the Council must continue working alongside Sheffield MPs to put pressure on the Government to deliver the Local Electricity Bill, in order to deliver more clean, local energy that benefits local communities;

(g)      supports the £3.5m of capital investment put forward through the Labour Group’s budget amendment approved in March 2022 - to decarbonise community buildings, install renewable energy infrastructure, and enact energy efficiency measures – and believes this shows the Council’s ambition to deliver Clean Growth and to help Sheffield through the cost-of-living crisis;

(h)      notes that Sheffield generates more renewable energy than other comparable cities, but has relatively low levels of solar, wind and hydroelectricity; and believes, therefore, this investment is key to creating jobs and reducing emissions from the Council’s 38,000 homes and 4,000 land and property assets including community buildings;

(i)       notes that the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee recently approved £13.24 million to improve insulation on 117 ‘Airey’ properties and £10.42 million to install external wall and roof insulation to 255 Council homes; and

That this Council resolves:-

(j)     to ask the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee to consider:-

(i)     conducting an audit of the potential for renewable energy installations and energy efficiency measures on all Council land and property, draw up a priority list for installations based on the most potential to save energy and generate clean energy, ensuring that this is considered as part of the on-going Community Asset Plan, and present it to the Committee within 6 months;

(ii)     installing solar photovoltaics on all new build Council-owned buildings where technically feasible, recognising that integrated roof systems are cheaper to install than retrofitting solar systems after construction;

(iii)    creating a Local Area Energy Plan for Sheffield that has the buy-in of the wider community and lead a local area energy planning process that involves both the network operators and other key stakeholders, including developers, energy experts and community energy groups - with each Local Area Committee (LAC) involved and maximising the ‘tool kit for engagement’ in the development of Local Area Energy Plans;

(iv)    investigating establishing strategic partnerships with renewable and energy efficiency installers to help ensure certainty on cost and delivery of measures and report back to the Committee within 6 months;

(v)    encouraging the establishment of partnerships with local Community Renewables organisations to enable low cost/no cost installations funded through citizens’ investments;

(vi)    maximising external funding to finance installations using Government, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and any ethical sources;

(vii)   using funding available for solar installations from Cooperatives on Council buildings and encouraging take up of this funding by large commercial organisations;

(viii)  working with the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee to address procurement barriers to support community energy installations on Council buildings through the development of Sheffield’s Ethical Procurement Policies and Community Wealth Building Charter;

(ix)    encouraging wider community investment in local renewable energy projects through a range of measures including, but not limited to, Community Share Offers and Municipal Bonds;

(x)    working alongside the Housing Policy Committee to develop a compelling offer for private householders and landlords to support the installation of solar photovoltaics and high cost energy efficiency measures;

(xi)    encouraging best practice in Planning to support renewable energy installations by developers and to create a low carbon energy supply;

(xii)   encouraging renewable and energy efficiency skills by establishing links and relationships between our partners in the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency sectors with appropriate local training and education providers;

(xiii)  working alongside the Economic Development and Skills Policy Committee to ensure training opportunities and new skills are included in all projects and that contracts related to energy efficiency and renewables should include commitments from contractors on providing training opportunities and new skills for local people; and

(xiv)  requiring new energy generation projects of 5MW or above to have at least 20% local ownership

5.6.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 75 Members; AGAINST - 0 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 0 Members.  The Liberal Democrat Group Members voted for, but against paragraphs (c) and (d) and abstained on paragraphs (e), (g), (h) and (j) of the Substantive Motion.  The Green Group Members voted for, but against paragraphs (e) and (h) of the Substantive Motion.  Councillor Lewis Chinchen voted for, but abstained on sub-paragraph (j)(xiv) of the Substantive Motion.)