Agenda item

8.1

The Council has secured a grant funding offer of £4,007,500 through the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) 2 scheme. This funding would contribute toward the delivery of energy improvement measures to approximately 370 Council homes.

This project directly supports Sheffield’s strategies and ambitions centred on net zero carbon by 2030, tackling fuel poverty and providing affordable warmth. The associated government funding is time limited. To not access this would be a missed opportunity. The £4m will offset some of the project cost, reducing some of the pressure on the council housing capital programme, and indeed the wider Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

The purpose of this report is therefore to seek approval for the Council becoming the accountable body for £4,007,500 grant funding from DESNZ (Dept for Energy Security & Net Zero).

8.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Finance Committee approves the Council becoming the accountable body for £4.07m of grant funding from Tees Valley Combined Authority for the SHDF 2 scheme, subject to the grant terms not being materially different to those set out in this report.

8.3

Reasons for Decision

8.3.1

The SHDF2 grant provides an excellent opportunity to help fund the retrofitting of some of the least efficient council housing stock across the city.

8.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

8.4.1

The alternative is not to accept the funding. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and the capital programme budget would not benefit from the £4.07m funding in contribution toward this major improvement project.

8.1

The Housing Decarbonisation Manager submitted a report seeking approval for the Council to become the accountable body for £4.07m of grant funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) 2 scheme. The funding would contribute toward the delivery of energy improvement measures to approximately 370 Council homes.

8.2

The project would directly support Sheffield’s strategies and ambitions centred on net zero carbon by 2030, tackling fuel poverty and providing affordable warmth. The associated Government funding is time limited. To not access the funding would be a missed opportunity. The £4.07m would offset some of the project cost, reducing the pressure on the council housing capital programme and indeed the wider Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

8.3

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Finance Committee approves the Council becoming the accountable body for £4.07m of grant funding from Tees Valley Combined Authority for the SHDF 2 scheme, subject to the grant terms not being materially different to those set out in this report.

8.4

Reasons for Decision

8.4.1

The SHDF2 grant provides an excellent opportunity to help fund the retrofitting of some of the least efficient council housing stock across the city.

8.5

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

8.5.1

The alternative is not to accept the funding. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and the capital programme budget would not benefit from the £4.07m funding in contribution toward this major improvement project.