The Cabinet made a number of decisions at this meeting, including approving the adoption of the 2023/24 Infrastructure Funding Statement, deciding to participate in the Warm Homes: Local Grant scheme, and to acquire the head-lease hold interest of 9 Timothy’s Bridge Road in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Warm Homes: Local Grant

The Cabinet discussed a report on the Warm Homes: Local Grant (WHLG) and decided to participate in the scheme. The WHLG will replace the Home Upgrade Grant 2 from April 2025 and will provide energy performance upgrades and low carbon heating to privately owned and privately rented low-income households.

The Council noted that participating in the WHLG was essential if it wanted to meet its climate change commitments. The Cabinet also decided to work with the Midland Net Zero Hub and delegated the procurement process to the Head of Housing, Revenues and Customer Services.

Councillor Crump, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, requested that:

assistance for those struggling with filling out the forms would be welcomed. In addition, the OSC requested that local energy providers be considered and benchmarking with other authorities be carried out.

Acquisition of 9 Timothy's Bridge Road

The Cabinet discussed the purchase of the leasehold interest of 9 Timothy’s Bridge Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, to help facilitate the delivery of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Quarter Development. The Cabinet agreed to acquire the head-lease of the site, with the money being taken from Capital Reserves. They also delegated the completion of the purchase to the Deputy Chief Executive.

Adoption of the Infrastructure Funding Statement 2023/24

The Cabinet approved the adoption of the Infrastructure Funding Statement 2023/24. The Statement is a report that details how the council has allocated developer contributions from Section 106 agreements¹ and the Community Infrastructure Levy² during the last financial year.

Councillor Crump, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, asked that:

Town and Parish Councils be advised on what monies could and could not be used for

The Head of Development confirmed that information would be disseminated to Town and Parish Councils.

Performance Monitoring Report for Q2 2024/25

The Cabinet received the Performance Monitoring Report for Q2 of 2024/25. The report is a summary of the Council's performance against its targets for the quarter. The Cabinet noted that:

performance against Quarter 2 of the previous year had improved and thanks were given to officers for this achievement.

Issues arising from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Councillor Crump, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC), provided feedback from the meeting held on 29 November 2024, which included a number of issues, including parking, the Christmas Markets, and the South Warwickshire Local Plan. The OSC also requested that the Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board be invited to attend a meeting in early 2025.

Climate Change Panel

The Cabinet noted the minutes of the Climate Change Panel meeting held on 5 November 2024.

Cash Management Working Group

The Cabinet noted the minutes of the Cash Management Working Group meeting held on 11 November 2024.