Agenda item - Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, Phase 3 grant bid

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Planning and Development.

Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme

1. To approve the submission of grant applications for the six identified buildings as part of the BEIS Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Phase 3 (PSDS3) grant offer.

2. To approve the capital contribution of up to £500,00 for the equivalent ‘like for like’ replacement of existing fossil fuel plant following successful award of the grant funding.

3. This will include the utilisation of some of the existing capital budgets for Civic Centre,

Corporate Buildings and Leisure Centre Refurbishment

4. To delegate final approval to proceed (including Council contribution) following the grant award offer, to the Cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing up to a total of £500,000 contribution.

5. To approve the creation of a budget equivalent to the value of any successful grant bid, following successful award of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme grant funding to allow the works to commence. It is estimated this could be in the region of £4 to 5m.

Low Carbon Skills Fund

6. To approve the creation of a budget following the application to the Low Carbon Skills Fund (LCSF) and the award of £223,000 to produce additional decarbonisation plans for the remaining Council estate and further feasibility studies for the Civic Centre, Moss Side Depot, South Ribble Tennis Centre, Leyland, Bamber Bridge and Penwortham LeisureCentre’s.

7. To approve the utilisation of the £223,000 Low Carbon Skills Funding following an appropriate procurement exercise to achieve the aims of the grant application.

DEFRA Air Quality Grant

8. To approve the submission of grant application as part of the DEFRA Air Quality Grant Scheme, to fund additional work in schools and measures to combat air quality within designated Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs).

9. To approve the creation of a budget equivalent to the grant value following successful award of the DEFRA Air Quality Grant Scheme. There is no defined limit for this funding but indicative amounts are between £10,000 and £60,000.

The Cabinet Member (Health and Wellbeing), Councillor Mick Titherington, presented the report of the Director of Communities. The report contained proposals to enable the Council to apply for Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to allow decarbonisation works to be undertaken at the Civic Centre, Moss Side Depot, South Ribble Tennis Centre, Leyland, Bamber Bridge and Penwortham Leisure Centres, as part of the Council’s work to achieve carbon neutrality across its estate.

The report also set out recommendations relating to the creation of a budget funded by a grant awarded to the authority under the Low Carbon Skills Fund and the utilisation of existing capital budgets to provide a Council contribution under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.

It further requested approval for the submission of a grant application as part of the DEFRA Air Quality Grant Scheme, to fund additional work in schools and measures to combat air quality within designated Air Quality Management Areas.

Members discussed the challenging target of being carbon neutral by 2030 and noted the council can only control targets within its estate, rather than private houses, although it can influence in a positive way.

Members thanked the officers for their work on this, including Councillors Thurlbourn, Martin and Titherington.

It was proposed by Cabinet Member (Health and Wellbeing), Councillor Mick Titherington, seconded by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Paul Foster, and subsequently

Resolved (unanimously)