Decision

Summary of Decision

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Council Reform has approved:

·       The continued commitment to the CCS energy framework (RM6011) for the provision of gas and electricity for a further 12-month period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 at a cost of circa £18m.   

·       The delegation to the Director of Corporate Property to enter into such legal agreements as may be necessary for WCC to achieve paragraph 1 above.

Reasons for Decision 

This decision will ensure the supply of Gas and Electricity continues at favourable market rates to all Westminster corporate and housing assets for the period April 2024 to March 2025. 

The CCS energy framework has a deadline of 15 September 2023 for WCC to be included in the purchasing window for energy supplies for 2024-25. If it does not meet this deadline the Council would have to seek its energy provision elsewhere which may lead to increased costs.

Reasons for Urgency

Under provision 33.14 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules in the Council’s Constitution, the Council may apply a case of special urgency to the rule to publish notice of a decision 28 days in advance of that decision being taken with the agreement of the Chair of the relevant Policy and Scrutiny Committee. Cllr Paul Fisher, Chair of the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Policy and Scrutiny Committee agreed to this decision being treated as a matter of special urgency on 15 September 2023. The decision could be taken immediately after this agreement was given.

Adherence to the normal access to information rules, and specifically the 28 day rule, are not practical in these circumstances as Westminster City Council must commit to the purchase window for the 2024/25 financial year by 15 September 2023, and not doing so would leave the Council liable to increased costs.