In an urgent decision meeting, Councillor Paul Osborn, Leader of the Council, approved recommendations to accept £1.9 million in funding from the Warmer Homes Social Housing Fund Wave 3 grant programme and to directly appoint Sustainable Building Services (UK) Ltd to deliver the programme. This will enable energy-efficiency improvements to approximately 144 council homes. The decision aims to address fuel poverty, reduce carbon emissions, and improve housing quality in Harrow.

Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) / Warmer Homes (WH: SHF) Wave 3

Councillor Paul Osborn approved recommendations to enter contractual arrangements under the London Councils’ Strategic Partnership for the delivery of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) / Warmer Homes (WH: SHF) Wave 3. This includes accepting £1,990,914 from the Warmer Homes Social Housing Fund Wave 3 grant programme and directly appointing Sustainable Building Services (UK) Ltd (SBS) to deliver the programme.

The Warmer Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH: SHF), formerly known as SHDF, is a government-backed programme administered by London Councils on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). It aims to improve energy efficiency in social housing, helping residents enjoy warmer, healthier homes, lower energy bills, and reduced carbon emissions.

The key objectives of Wave 3 are to:

• Reduce fuel poverty and energy costs for residents.
• Improve the thermal performance of social housing stock.
• Decrease carbon emissions in line with local and national net zero targets.

The Public Reports Pack notes that projects will primarily target insulation measures and low-carbon heating technologies, such as solar PV¹ and mechanical ventilation upgrades. Harrow's priority is to complete remaining retrofit works to its BISF² and ORLIT³ (steel-framed) housing stock, using External Wall Insulation (EWI) to significantly enhance performance and longevity.

The report considered the option of not proceeding with Wave 3, but this was rejected because the allocated grant funding would be withdrawn or reallocated, resulting in a loss of investment and a delay in improving energy efficiency across Harrow's housing stock.

The report states that Sustainable Building Services (SBS) have demonstrated consistent value for money, high-quality delivery, and strong performance under Wave 2.1, and that they are best placed to deliver Wave 3 efficiently and within the required timescales.

The Public Reports Pack also outlines several risk management implications, including the risk of the Warmer Homes wave 2.1 implementation strategy failing to achieve its objectives. Mitigations include working with London Councils to ensure assistance is provided with the partnership and moving spend and grant drawdown profiles with the approval of the strategic partnership.

The report also notes that an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) is in place and applies to all SHDF programmes, including Wave 3, and that the assessment confirms that all opportunities to address diversity and vulnerability are fully embedded in programme design.

The Printed Minutes state the reason for the decision:

This ensured Harrow continued to proactively deliver warmer, healthier, and more energy-efficient homes for our residents, and addressed issues of damp and mould, in addition, residents' heating costs would be reduced and contributed to the Council's Climate Emergency and Net Zero 2030 commitments.