Issue - meetings

1.       That installation of solar panels and batteries to a Council tenants’ home will be conditional upon the tenant agreeing to a ‘use and maintenance’ payment for the solar panel and battery.

2.       That the use and maintenance payment will be a 50% share of the savings the household can expect from using energy from the solar panel and battery.

3.       That the use and maintenance charge will commence after twelve months of usage and be based on monitored savings.

4.       That the Strategic Director with responsibility for Housing be authorised to instruct the procuring and purchasing of energy monitors to install in properties receiving solar, funded from the existing retrofit budget.

On behalf of Councillor Reach, Councillor Cutler introduced the report.

At the invitation of the Leader, Councillors Lee and Horrill addressed Cabinet as summarised briefly below.

Councillor Lee

Councillor Lee welcomed the policy and asked that it be rolled out as quickly as possible.  He raised a number of detailed points including the following: whether a cost-benefit analysis comparing in-house versus contracted maintenance would be undertaken?  A suggestion that the relevant council teams formally partner with Hampshire Environment Advice Centre and the “homes made better” initiative to deliver support and optimal information for tenant; A request that the procurement and delivery model remain flexible as technology developed. 

Councillor Horrill

Councillor Horrill expressed concern about the lack of consultation undertaken, including that the report had not been considered by the TACT Board.  She raised a number of questions including the following: would the scheme be subsidised by the HRA? Concerns regarding staffing implications.  What KPIs would be used to monitor the scheme? Concern over whether an adequate market testing had been undertaken.

Councillor Cutler together with the Strategic Director and the Retrofit Manager responded to the comments made including confirming the ongoing different methods of consultation that would take place with tenants and that the KPIs would be monitored as part of the retrofit programme.  Cabinet suggested that the policy be reviewed and that an update report be submitted to either Economy and Housing Policy Committee or Cabinet Committee: Housing as appropriate.

Cabinet agreed to the following for the reasons set out in the report and outlined above.

RESOLVED:

1.           That installation of solar panels and batteries to a Council tenants’ home will be conditional upon the tenant agreeing to a ‘use and maintenance’ payment for the solar panel and battery.

2.           That the use and maintenance payment will be a 50% share of the savings the household can expect from using energy from the solar panel and battery.

3.           That the use and maintenance charge will commence after twelve months of usage and be based on monitored  savings.

4.           That the Strategic Director with responsibility for Housing be authorised to instruct the procuring and purchasing of energy monitors to install in properties receiving solar, funded from the existing retrofit budget.