Agenda item

The Director of Housing and Projects introduced the report which updated the Committee on the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund project to upgrade South Kesteven District Council housing stock with energy efficiency measures. 

The average Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for the Council’s housing stock was EPC D.  By 2030 there was a requirement for the Council to achieve an average of a least an EPC C across the 6,000 properties to mitigate fuel poverty for the Council’s tenants and contribute to the wider decarbonisation of the district.  If the rating went above a C the properties were not eligible for the grant funding therefore care had to be taken when implementing the measures within the individual properties.

The scheme had focused on installing solar PV panels, air source heat pumps and external wall insulation in properties.  Change requests had been submitted to Government as the scheme had progressed where some people had been reluctant to have air source heat pumps installed and where there was a time constraint on accessing the funding, the Council had looked at where the funding could be allocated to a different measure such as increasing the number of solar PV panels installed on properties.

Work was being undertaken to complete work at 367 properties, 247 solar PV panels, 100 air source heat pumps and external wall insulation on 75 properties.  Reference was made to the project that had taken place at Turnor Crescent in Grantham where external wall insulation had been done at some properties and the Council had taken a whole street approach and had finished off the remainder of the properties. 

The scheme was due to finish by the end of March 2025 and then the Council had two months to complete all inspections and issue the certificates.  The Director of Housing and Projects informed the Committee that the project was on target to be completed by the end of the month.

The Director of Housing and Projects referred to Wave 3 of the scheme which had not been included within the report due to a Government embargo.  Since the report had been published the Council had been notified that it had been allocated £4m of funding.  Wave 3 had been oversubscribed which had necessitated a review of the allocations.  The Council’s original funding request had been £6m.  The £4m allocated would be match funded by the Council and work was being undertaken with a contractor to establish what would be carried out at properties and to begin work as soon as possible.  As the funding was less than original requested, the number of properties to have work carried out had been reduced.

The Committee were informed that there would be a team looking after the project which would include a resident liaison officer who would work with the tenants who were having works carried out on their property, this was similar to what had been in place for the Earlesfield Project which had worked well.

A question was asked about the air source heat pumps and whether or not tenants were being contacted to see if their bills had reduced or increased.  The Director of Housing and Projects stated that was not happening currently due to how the air source heat pumps were set up to work as efficiently as possible, but it was something that could be looked into.  Air source heat pumps were being installed primarily where there was no connection to gas and were an alternative to the electric storage heaters currently being used.  Work had been undertaken in respect of costs between the two systems to see which was more cost effective.

Further questions were asked in respect of whether heat loss surveys were carried out before systems were installed, the effect of air source heat pumps and installation in old properties to which the Head of Service (Technical) replied.  The Cabinet Member for Housing informed the Committee of her experience in respect of having an air source heat pump.

The Chairman thanked the Officers for the report which was noted by the Committee.