Agenda item

To add the decarbonisation project for these important public buildings to the council’s capital programme and thereby proceed using its match funding and the Salix grant,  to implement the project.

The Head of Property Services introduced the report and explained that the report was for the approval of heat pump installation at Stratford Park, The Museum in the Park and The Pulse. The current heating and ventilation plants had reached the end of their lifespan and therefore it was the right time to explore renewable energy sources. She highlighted the following key points:

·         The Council had been successful in securing a grant of £4.69m from Salix, the delivery body for the governments public sector decarbonisation scheme. Further details of this could be found in section 3 of the report.

·         Strategy and Resources Committee had recommended that council approve to fund 12% of the project which totalled £700k.

·         Salix had estimated that this would save approximately 732 tonnes of carbon per annum.

·         The project would also present an opportunity to provide the Museum with its own heating system separate from the Leisure Centre.

·         There would be a period of closure whilst the works took place which would target the quieter periods for both the Museum and the Leisure Centre, the estimated loss of revenue was detailed in table 3 on page 268 of the reports pack.

·         The main project risks were set out in section 7 of the report which could be found on page 270.

·         It was hoped that a Member Champion from the Community Services and Licensing Committee would join the project board and provide update on the projects at future committee meetings.

The councils consultant engineer explained that the gas facilities at the sites would be capped off but not removed completely.

Members had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the Officers. In response to queries it was confirmed that:

·         The current recommendation was for air-source heat pumps however as detailed in paragraph 2.5 of the report, they would look at tenders for both ground-source heat pumps and air-source heat pumps. The decision would need to be brought back to Council in order to agree a larger budget if they decided to choose ground-source heat pumps.

·         The current heating and ventilation plants were at the end of their life which was why they needed to take action soon. It was also a requirement from Central Government that all buildings should be decarbonised by 2035.

Councillor Crews left the meeting.

In response to Councillor Cornell it was confirmed that tenders would be asked to use the Social Value Portal where they would be scored on things such as local suppliers.

Councillor Sutton debated the use of ground-sourced heat pumps and how they would work in an area such as Stratford Park which had multiple underground springs.

Proposed by Councillor Aldam and seconded by Councillor Hall.

Councillors Stephen Davies, Turner, Hurst, and Hall commended the report.

Councillor Aldam thanked Officers for the report.

On being put to the vote, the Motion was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED To:

a)  Add the decarbonisation of Stratford Park Leisure Centre, the Museum in the Park, Stroud and The Pulse, Dursley, to the Capital Programme and

b)  Authorise the Head of Property Services, in consultation with the Chair of Strategy and Resources, Chair of Community Services and Licensing, and the Strategic Director of Resources to procure and award the contract for the works.