Purpose

To approve investment secured by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the utilisation of £0.032m of Council match funding to deliver a programme of decarbonisation works at Bewley Drive Resource Centre using their appointed contractor, Asset Plus Energy Performance Limited.  

The Council will enter into a licence agreement to enable works to be undertaken which will include solar photovoltaic infrastructure, replacement of gas boilers with air source heat pumps, and replacement of existing lighting with LED equivalents being installed.  

Decision

That the Executive Director (Resources and Partnerships) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources and the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods :-

i)               Accept the investment of £0.233m, for Bewley Drive Resource Centre for decarbonisation infrastructure funded by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (Phase 4);

ii)              Note that the that the scheme will be managed by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and that the works will be delivered by their appointed contractors, Asset Plus Energy Performance Limited, with collateral warranties provided;

iii)            Approve the utilisation of £0.032m from the Councils’ Net Zero Match Investment allocation;

iv)            Authorise the Head of Legal Services, in consultation with STAR Procurement, to review the content of the contract between the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and their appointed Contractor, Asset Plus Energy Performance Limited,  with related contractual warranties for the Council, following Liverpool City Region’s Combined Authority conducting an open procurement process;

v)             Subject to the suitability of the premises to accommodate the proposed decarbonisation scheme, authorise the Head of Assets to enter into a licence between the Council and Asset Plus Energy Performance Limited to enable works on this Council asset; and

vi)            Authorise the Head of Finance to resource planned and reactive maintenance of solar photovoltaic equipment and other decarbonisation infrastructure for its asset life (expected 25 years), from resulting energy savings, given the Council’s Net Zero 2040 commitment.

Alternative options considered

Option 1: Do Nothing – This option was rejected as not proceeding with the investment would result in the loss of an opportunity to secure grant funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (Phase 4) to deliver decarbonisation works to a council building and a failure to reduce the emissions generated by this building.

Option 2: Accept the Investment subject to the suitability of the premises to accommodate the proposed decarbonisation scheme– this is the preferred option, as it will maximise investment into the Council’s existing building estate and reduce carbon emissions.