Decision

To approve the award of a new concession contract to iChoosr to deliver a one-year pilot of the Switch Together Heat Pumps bulk-buy scheme, enabling Wiltshire residents to access discounted heat pump installations.

Reasons for the decision

See the attached document for considerations in line with Wiltshire Council’s Constitution.

Alternative options considered

Do nothing: Rejected. Not participating would remove an opportunity to test resident demand, operational viability and the potential for future fee-generating heat pump schemes, while benefiting from a low-risk pilot model supported by external funding from Nesta. It would also reduce uptake of air source heat pumps across Wiltshire and weaken progress toward carbon-neutral commitments.

Council-run scheme: Rejected. A council-led procurement and administration model would require significantly greater officer capacity, longer lead times and higher cost. iChoosr’s national model provides economies of scale and specialist expertise that the council cannot deliver cost-effectively.