Agenda item

Committee are requested to consider the attached report which provides:

·         Information about the range of energy efficiency measures installed in domestic properties in Hyndburn through various energy funding programmes and grant schemes.

·         A summary of the approach taken by the Council to promote funding opportunities, engage residents and support them to apply for funding.

·         Progress made in increasing awareness and take up of funding since the introduction of a ‘Home Energy Reduction Officer’ (HERO) post.

Recommended                     -   That Committee note the progress made in delivering energy efficiency measures to domestic properties in Hyndburn through energy funding programmes and grant schemes.

A report was submitted by Chris Gregory (Housing Stratgey & Policy Manager) and Tim Brodest (Home Energy Reduction Officer) on behalf of the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Sustainability, Councillor Kate Walsh.  The report provided information about the range of energy efficiency measures installed in domestic properties in Hyndburn through various energy funding programmes and grant schemes.  There was also a summary of the approach taken by the Council to promote funding opportunities, engage residents and support them to apply for funding and progress made in increasing awareness and take up of funding since the introduction of a ‘Home Energy Reduction Officer’ (HERO) post.

Councillor Kate Walsh, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Sustainability reported on progress in delivering energy efficiency measures in Hyndburn Domestic Properties.  She reported that there had been significant progress in improving energy efficiency in properties in the borough, particularly since the introduction of the Home Energy Reduction Officer (HERO) post.  She explained that the Council had been more proactive since the establishment of the Officer post and more domestic properties had been advised of the availability of grants to improve home energy efficiency.  She referred to the Council’s commitment in reducing carbon emissions and reaching net zero targets and referred to the challenges Hyndburn faced in reducing carbon emissions, largely due to Hyndburn’s property types.  She acknowledged that there was a lot of work to be done.

Responses were provided to the following advanced questions:

1. Reference was made to the air pollution created by the domestic wood burner and if this was being addressed?
2. The Committee requested information on the vetting process for companies employed to carry out work on properties, in respect of work standards.
3. The Committee asked for information on how people could complain about standards of work.

The Committee was informed that:

·         Wood burners had to be fitted and used in accordance with building regulations.  Only a small proportion of heating sources were made up of wood burners in Hyndburn and residents would be required to burn fuels in accordance with regulation standards.  Properties not burning appropriate fuels could be reported to the Council.

·         With regards to work being carried out by contractors, the Committee was informed that these companies were not employed directly by the Council as grants were administered by either Homewise – HBC Affordable Warmth – or Rhea Projects – LCC Affordable Warmth. Both Homewise and Rhea have on-board procedures in place for contractors and they had to be qualified/certified for what the work they carried out.  If residents felt the need to complain, this could be done directly to the contractor and raised with the administrators if still not happy.  After this process, residents could complain to Hyndburn Borough Council if they were still dissatisfied. 

Discussions followed and Members of the Committee made the following comments:

• Greater education was required on the use of woodburners.
• There was a lack of enforcement action of inappropriate fuel use in woodburners.
• Some housing types were more difficult to retrofit than others.
• Hyndburn had a lot of old houses, particularly terraced housing and houses in conservation areas, which were more difficult to improve energy efficiency.
• The average housing price of many properties in the borough meant that the cost of retrofitting would be too high against the value of the property.
• A proposal that the Council introduced a regeneration scheme to gradually remove terraced housing and replace it with new housing, of today’s standards. 
• Bricks on older properties should be recycled.
• Many people living in older properties in the borough were just above the threshold for receiving energy efficiency grants and therefore, would not benefit financially from carrying out retrofitting on their properties.  Funding was not accessible for many people.
• Figures on energy efficiency only related to gas central heating and not other forms of heating.
• Information should be made available to residents in respect of the many different options available on the market that would improving energy efficiency on different properties types.
• Selective licensing should be reintroduced to ensure standards of private rented properties were maintained.

The Homes Energy Reduction Officer informed the Committee that all funding acquired from Lancashire County Council had been used.  Further funding announced was half of the amount previously provided and would need to be spent before the end of March 2025.  He explained that there was currently a waiting list for grant funding and gave details of the number of properties that had already been helped through grant funding.

Resolved                           (1)   That Committee note the progress made in delivering energy efficiency measures to domestic properties in Hyndburn through energy funding programmes and grant schemes; and

                                            (2)   That the Portfolio Holder for Sustainability sends a letter to the Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, to request:

                                                   - that Hyndburn receives additional energy funding due to the socio economic factors of the borough which increases the challenges of lowering the borough’s total carbon emissions by 68% by 2030 and reaching Net Zero by 2050. 

                                                   - an increase in the threshold for the acquisition of home energy efficiency grant funding due to many residents residing in properties where values would not be offset by the cost of retrofitting and who are currently just above the financial threshold for meeting grants criteria; and

                                                    - that the allocation of grant funding is brought back into public control to ensure standards of workmanship are maintained and that the public are protected from fraudulent and poor workmanship.