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To award a contract to EDF to deliver energy
efficiency improvements to privately owned and rented homes in
Wiltshire that meet the eligibility criteria and the execution of
such contract as deed by affixing the seal of the Council. The
improvements will be funded by the Warm Homes: Local Grant. The
maximum value of the grant is £3M. The maximum total
estimated value of the contract is £2.8M plus an optional
award subject to funding availability.

Reasons for the decision

In April 2025, Wiltshire Council were
allocated £3.03M of Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) funding
to retrofit between 156 and 311 Wiltshire homes over three
financial years, 2025-2026, 2026 – 2027 and 2027 –
2028. This is the successor scheme to Home Upgrade Grant
which
also ran in Wiltshire and completed successfully in June 2025.
WH:LG will provide energy performance upgrades and low carbon
heating via local authorities to households that:

• Are in England
• Are low income
• Have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) between D and
G
• Are privately owned (owner occupied or privately
rented)

The scheme targets the worst performing homes (energy performance
certificate bands D-G) and focuses on lifting households out of
fuel poverty.

Once in delivery, the grant can be used to install fully funded
energy performance measures(such as solar panels and insulation)
and low carbon heating to eligible homes in the local area.

All upgrades must adhere to the latest PAS 2035:2023 guidance.
Measures must be Trustmark registered and PAS 2030:2023 certified
for energy performance measures and/orMCS certified for low carbon
heating measures. All measures must be lodged onto the Trustmark
data warehouse.

Quality assurance will be provided by an organisation which is
independent from the turnkey contractor. The audit of ten percent
of each property archetype will be undertaken to check for quality
in delivery and any issues can be raised and addressed early in the
project.

Up to 15% of the total WH:LG project spend can be used to cover
Administration & Ancillary (A&A) costs which include the
council’s resourcing of the project, the independent auditor
services, search costs, validating and assessing homes and
designing measure packages.

By reducing carbon emissions, stimulating the green economy and
tackling the health issues associated with fuel poverty, this
funding will support the following Council Plan priorities:

• Protecting our communities
• Enhancing and protecting our environment for future
generations
• Promoting healthier lives
• Helping the economy work for everyone

The procurement process was overseen by the council’s
procurement service. The procurement of a turnkey contractor via a
Procurement that is compliant with relevant UK procurement
legislation has been carried out to eliminate risks associated with
managing multiple contracts whilst also reducing the overall risk
in terms of project accountability, management and resources. The
turnkey contractor has been procured to manage and
deliver all the services required to under the HUG2 project.

I confirm that in making this decision I have considered the
following in line with Wiltshire Council’s
Constitution:

Key decision requirements: Yes

Views of relevant cabinet member(s), committee chairman, area
board(s):Yes – consultation with Cabinet member for
Environment, Climate and Waste

Consultation with cabinet member(s), the Leader and Scrutiny (for
Executive decisions taken under Emergency Powers): N/A as decision
delegation given at Cabinet in February 2025.

Consultation in accordance with the council’s consultation
guidance and the views emanating from that process: NA

Implication of any council policy, initiative, strategy or
procedure: Yes

Staffing, financial and legal implications: Yes

The assessment of any associated risks in accordance with the
Council’s risk management strategy: Risk log provided for
Cabinet approval

Involvement of appropriate statutory officers and/or corporate
directors and directors: Yes

Regional or national guidance from other bodies where relevant:
Yes

The council’s constitution, including the Procurement and
Contract Rules (Part 10) and the Financial Regulations and
Procedure Rules (Part 9), all relevant guidance, legislation, codes
of practice, and protocols: Yes

Alternative options considered

The other options were to award the contract
or not.

A direct award is considered beneficial to the delivery of WH:LG
due to several key advantages.

• It ensures continuity and consistency, maintaining momentum
and upholding delivery standards.
• Mobilisation is significantly faster, as the contractor is
already familiar with the Councils systems, expectations, and
property types.
• This approach reduces procurement costs by avoiding the time
and expense associated with a full tender process, including
evaluation and contract negotiation.
• This approach minimises risk, as the contractor’s
performance is already known, reducing the likelihood of delivery
issues or non-compliance with standards such as PAS 2035.
• A direct award strengthens collaboration by building on an
established working relationship, which can foster innovation and
shared learning.
• It offers better value through the contractor’s
experience on similar projects, leading to efficiencies, fewer
errors, and improved outcomes.