Agenda Item No. 10(a)

THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL

COUNCIL MEETING: 1 MARCH 2017

REFERENCE FROM CABINET:  12 DECEMBER 2016

C3395         GIBBONSDOWN EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION AND DECORATION (HSCH) (SCRUTINY COMMITTEE – HOMES AND SAFE COMMUNITIES) -

Approval was sought to proceed with external wall insulation to properties in the Ramsey Road area of Gibbonsdown and to decorate external walls to all Council owned property on the eastern side of the Gibbonsdown area.

The Council was successful in securing a £2 million grant fund to install external wall insulation to both public and private sector homes in the Ramsey Road and Pendine Close area of Gibbonsdown.  In addition to the Welsh Government grant funding the scheme was also supported by a £250,000 Housing Revenue Account contribution for Council homes and further funding from the Energy Company Obligation which was a duty placed on energy providers by OFGEM.

The £2 million grant was part of the Welsh Government Warm Home (Arbed) grant, which targeted both public and private sector homes in the area.  In total 157 Council homes and 66 privately owned homes were improved through the scheme.

The scheme was predominantly aimed at improving the energy efficiency of the properties and reducing fuel bills.  However, there had been other tangible benefits resulting from this investment which included; a greater sense of pride in the estate, reduced littering of the area and an overall improvement in the appearance of the properties.

To continue the success already delivered through the Arbed fund; Council officers submitted a further bid to continue the work in the remaining properties of similar archetype in the St Catherine’s Court, Dale Court and Ramsey Road area of the estate.  However, reduced budget availability in Welsh Government saw more stringent conditions being applied to the grant and the Council was unsuccessful in the current round of bids.  The main reason cited by Welsh Government for the lack of success was the small number of private properties being addressed through the bid (7 out of 87 properties).

This was a matter for Executive and Council decision

Cabinet, having considered the report and all the issues and implications contained therein

RESOLVED –

(1)       T H A T the installation of external wall insulation to properties in the Western side (St Catherine’s Court, Dale Court and Ramsey Road areas) of Gibbonsdown at an estimated value of £800k be approved.

(2)       T H A T the external painting to all Council owned dwellings to the eastern side of Gibbonsdown at an estimated value of £500k be approved.

(3)       T H A T Officers be requested to investigate if any private property owners could take advantage of the scheme at their own expense.

(4)       T H A T in pursuance of resolutions 1 and 2 above, the report be referred to Full Council for final approval of the revised budget.

(5)       T H A T delegated authority be granted to the Director of Environment & Housing Services, in consultation with the Head of Finance and Cabinet Member for Housing and Social Care & Health to accept the appropriate tenders for the work referred to in resolutions 1 and 2 above.

(6)       T H A T the Head of Legal Services be given authority to execute the relevant contracts in pursuance of resolution 5 above.

Reasons for decisions

(1)       To continue the energy efficiency work already delivered to property in the area previously delivered through the Welsh Government’s Warm Home (Arbed) scheme.

(2)       To protect the existing building fabric and cavity injected insulation and deliver similar community benefits to those experienced in the Ramsey Road area of Gibbonsdown.

(3)       To give private owners the opportunity to make use of the scheme.

(4)       Tocomply with the Council’s Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.

(5-6)    To expedite the award of the tender to the successful contractors and enable the work to commence on site at the earliest opportunity.