Agenda item

Consider report by Executive Director Corporate Improvement and Economy (copy attached).

4.1       There had been circulated copies of a report by the Executive Director Corporate Improvement and Economy providing an overview and update on the local Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme (also known as EES:ABS).  Donna Bogdanovic,  Principal Officer, Housing Strategy, Policy & Development, was in attendance to present the report.  Ms Bogdanovic explained that the Local Housing Strategy (LHS) 2017-2022 was the Council’s key strategic document for planning and delivering initiatives to reduce fuel poverty and improve home energy efficiency. Priority 2 of the LHS was that “More people live in good quality, energy efficient homes”. The key delivery channel for addressing fuel poverty and improving domestic energy efficiency was the Energy Efficiency Scotland: Area Based Scheme (EES:ABS) This had been the cornerstone of both the Scottish Government’s and Local Authority’s energy efficiency improvements for private domestic properties since 2013. A grant funding allocation was made available annually for local authorities to develop and deliver these programmes in areas they identified as having high fuel poverty. Programmes typically included the installation of external and internal wall insulation as well as cavity wall insulation. However the scope of eligible measures was now widening. In the last year Scottish Borders Council had introduced decarbonisation and renewable technology in the form of Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) and Solar Photovoltaic and battery storage (PV Battery) to the programme. The Scottish Borders Council EES:ABS Overview February 2021 was attached as an appendix to the report.  Specific property archetypes of the Scottish Borders and the region’s rurality presented both challenges and opportunities.  It was generally accepted that there were four contributory factors to fuel poverty: the energy efficiency and heating systems of the home; fuel prices; income of the household; and behavioural (how people lived within their home/use their heating). Scottish Borders Council worked closely with agencies such as Home Energy Scotland to ensure those accessing the programme were supported to address the other drivers of fuel poverty.  Over the period April 2013 to December 2020 Scottish Borders Council had secured £13.6m in funding to deliver the programmes. £10.6 million had been Scottish Government EES:ABS grant funding allocation and £3m in Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding.

4.2      Members asked for more information about the Council’s partnership work with Changeworks, for an explanation of the barriers to delivering energy efficiency improvements to homes within the Scottish Borders and how the planning system could assist to make the process easier. Ms Bogdanovic explained that Changeworks worked with Home Energy Scotland and this had included work with the Council’s Housing Strategy Team on area selection analysis, bid document construction, procurement as well as quality control and delivery.  Ms Bogdanovic referred to experience gained from a recent Changeworks programme in Peebles where it emerged that there were barriers to overcome in terms of engagement with householders about conversion to renewable technologies particularly in those cases where subsidies for the work would not be available.  Mr Aikman agreed that the provision of planning advice packages may help householders embark on works to improve energy efficiency. He agreed to discuss this with colleagues within Planning & Development with a view to putting in place the facility to make it as easy as possible for householders to go through the statutory process.

            DECISION

            NOTED:-

(a)        the progress made in delivering the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme (EES:ABS) in the Scottish Borders.

(b)       that the Chief Planning & Housing Officer would discuss with Planning & Development colleagues the provision of advice and support to householders to simplify the statutory process associated with works to improve home energy efficiency.