Councillor Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, was scheduled to discuss the minutes from the previous meeting, and a property decarbonisation programme. Also listed on the agenda was a fire remedial project.

Property Decarbonisation Programme

Councillor Dan Levy was scheduled to consider an outline business case for a property decarbonisation programme for 2025/26.

The report stated that Oxfordshire Council had secured £0.36 million of central government grant funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund (PSDS) to conduct property decarbonisation work to 20 sites, and that this required £10 million of match funding. The report stated that the grant funding needed to be spent within 12 months.

The report recommended that Councillor Levy note the £10 million budget, approve the commencement of procurement of decarbonisation works, and delegate authority to the Executive Director of Resources & Section 151 Officer to agree the procurement strategy and approve the award of contracts associated with the 2025/26 Property Decarbonisation Programme.

The report stated that in 2019, Oxfordshire Council declared a climate emergency with a target of bringing the council’s operations and activities to carbon neutrality by 2030, and that this target is reflected in the Council’s Climate Action Framework and Property Strategy.

The report stated that in 2023/24, the council’s property accounted for approximately 35% of the emissions that need to be reduced to meet the carbon neutrality target by 2030. It also noted that a reactive only maintenance approach has left much of the council’s estate in very poor-quality condition.

The report stated that the aim is to stop fossil fuelled activities within the council’s properties, predominantly heating, via the electrification of these components, and that the transition to electric heating will predominantly be via heat pumps and infrared heating. It also noted that improvements are required in thermal building fabric to decrease potential running costs. The report stated that the council would seek to install renewable electricity measures, such as solar PV, and upgrade electrical components to ensure the overall running costs do not increase.

The report listed the 20 properties included in the programme:

• Wallingford Community Support Service
• Ron Groves House
• Berinsfield Library
• Wantage Fire Station
• Wantage Library
• Summertown Library
• Abingdon Children and Family Centre
• Oxford Community Support Service
• Drayton Highways Depot
• Didcot Fire Station
• Holton Library HQ
• Witney Resource Centre
• Thornhill Park and Ride
• Oxford Parkway
• Bicester Fire Station
• Abingdon Fire Station
• Deddington Depot
• Blackbird Leys Library
• Bampton Fire Station
• Henley Fire Station

The report also presented three options:

• Option 1: Do Nothing, incurring a capital cost of £2.35m to replace components at the end of their useful life.
• Option 2: Do Minimum, incurring a capital cost of £2.8m, focusing on technologies that have a high payback, utilising the existing funding available and would focus on an unknown set of measures delivering a lower amount of carbon savings. The Council would also need to return the PSDS grant incurring a reputational risk.
• Option 3: Do Maximum, costing £10m, with an annual saving of £0.013m and 333T CO2e per year.

The recommended option was option 3, due to the need to meet the council’s corporate priorities, achieving the maximum carbon savings and utilising grant funding.

Fire Remedial Project

Councillor Dan Levy was scheduled to discuss a fire remedial project, phases 2 and 3. The report for this was listed as 'to follow'.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

Councillor Dan Levy was scheduled to approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 14 February 2025¹.