Decision details

Acting under urgency powers, and following consultation with the Section 151 Officer and Deputy Monitoring Officer, the Mayor and political group leaders, and the briefing of members of the Economy and Growth Committee, the Chief Executive has taken the decision to accept a grant offer of up to £7.8 million Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Grant from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for further decarbonisation of Council buildings and schools. The decision includes the approval of a supplementary capital estimate and arrangements for the grant to be administered.

The first phase of the grant must be formally accepted by 16 March 2023 with others to follow shortly thereafter. There was therefore no opportunity to secure the necessary Council approval to accept the grant, hence the use of urgency powers.

That

a.    Three separate grants of up to £7.8 million be accepted from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for further decarbonisation of Council buildings, including schools, museum, leisure centres and Tatton Park.

b.    A supplementary capital estimate be made for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 Financial years, this to be funded from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Grants, which will be paid over two years.

c.    The Economy and Growth Committee authorise the Director of Growth and Enterprise and the Section 151 Officer to sign the grant offer agreements with Salix Finance on behalf of the Council and to take all necessary measures to administer, spend and distribute the grant.

d.    The Economy and Growth Committee authorise the Director of Growth and Enterprise to:

                  i.    take all necessary associated action to administer, spend and distribute the grant, including allocation of the grant monies in order to ensure the delivery of the necessary programmes of work, in line with the Council’s financial and procurement rules and the conditions of grant; and

                ii.    to approve the delivery of the programme of work, in line with the conditions of grant, and the identification of local match-funding resources, and to obtain further approvals as required by the Council’s financial procedure and procurement rules.