Decision

To extend Carbon Trust’s contract to cover elements which would otherwise form part of the Technical workstream of the Outline Business Case (OBC) of the District Heat Network project.

Reasons for the decision

Carbon Trust are the Council’s appointed technical project managers for developing the OBC for the District Heat Network project. This involves sub-contracting aspects of the work from specialist consultants, and subsequently drawing together this information and writing the OBC. Sustainable Energy Limited (SEL) are to be appointed as one of the subcontractors, to conduct the Technical workstream of the OBC. As this includes a refresh of the feasibility study SEL carried out in 2019, an exemption has been granted allowing the direct appointment of SEL. Certain aspects of the Technical workstream go beyond what was granted in the exemption. In order to minimise cost on subcontractors, and comply with the granted exemption, it is proposed that these extra elements are instead picked up by Carbon Trust. This requires an extension to Carbon Trust’s existing contract.

The expected additional cost is £8,613 rising to £9,760 should the work fall into the 2024/25 financial year.

Alternative options considered

To extend Carbon Trust’s contract.

Not to extend Carbon Trust’s contract.