Nottingham City Council's Commissioning and Procurement Executive Committee met on 10 December 2024 and agreed to start tender processes for contracts to supply and maintain solar panels, and for workwear, uniforms, personal protective equipment (PPE) and handheld tools. They also made confidential decisions about housing disrepair claims, and about their District Heating Strategy.

Solar Panel Operation and Maintenance Services

The Committee approved a budget of up to £2,299,498 to appoint a contractor for three years to operate and maintain the Council's solar panels, which are installed on around 3,200 social homes, and 30 commercial buildings.

The Council receives approximately £1.9m per year in income and savings from the Feed-in Tariff ¹ for domestic solar panels and from lower energy bills in buildings that have solar panels installed.

NCC are responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of their solar assets, and therefore have a duty of care to ensure they are inspected and tested regularly and pose no safety concerns to the tenants, building, building users, staff and members of the public.

— Roisin Hickey, Energy Projects Officer (Solar Hub)

The Council has already allocated funding for the first year of the contract. The report considered by the committee proposes that a new reserve be established to fund future years of the contract, with contributions made from savings on energy bills in future years.

The Council’s own Solar Hub team currently carries out some maintenance and repair of solar panels owned by the Housing Revenue Account. The in-house team is not able to carry out work on commercially owned properties, or properties transferred to owner-occupiers under the Right to Buy scheme. The report considered by the committee did not explain why this is the case.

Workwear and hand tools corporate contract

The Committee approved a plan to tender for a new framework agreement for the supply of workwear, uniforms, PPE and handheld tools. The framework will last for an initial period of two years and be available to Nottingham City Council, Nottingham City Homes ², and all other council-owned companies.

The cost of the framework agreement will be met by the departments using it.

Nottingham City Council has a legal duty to provide suitable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for employees who may be exposed to a risk to their health and safety whilst at work delivering services to the citizens of Nottingham

— Ken France, Head of Fleet and Depot Operations