Agenda item

To receive an annual update on the delivery of the Greener Housing Strategy.

The Panel considered the update and actions completed on the Greener Housing Strategy, following the publication of the strategy in 2022.

The Council’s Greener Housing Delivery Manager, Sophie Tuffin had been appointed to take forward the actions identified in the strategy.  She gave an update to the Panel as follows:

·        Stock condition surveys were being carried out on the Council owned stock.  The surveys would help to identify areas for improvement to bring them up to an EPC rating of C or above by 2030.  In the longer term, the council housing stock was required to have net zero carbon emissions by 2050. 

·        Software was being used with the stock condition survey information to enable officers to cost scenarios to achieve the EPC rating of C or above by 2030.  This would enable officers to plan financially for the forthcoming work.  3,175 council homes would require some kind of retrofit work over the next 7 years.

·        Housing staff were being upskilled in order to deliver the greener housing agenda.

·        Officers would continue to use all available funding options. It was recognised that bidding opportunities for funding were likely to reduce over time.

·        The estimated cost to carry out the retrofit improvements to bring them up to EPC rating of C by 2030 was £9.3 million.  A further £115 million would be required to meet the net zero carbon target by 2050.  It was imperative to respond quickly to any funding opportunities as they become available.  Contractors would also need to be available to work with the council to deliver the housing retrofit works.

·        The Cosy Homes New Forest scheme would be launched later in September.  This was specifically for home owners with a NFDC postcode to help them in the first steps to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

·        The Warmer Homes upgrade scheme over the last two years had helped 252 homes in the District.

Members welcomed the launch of the Cosy Homes New Forest scheme and it was felt it should be widely promoted.

A member of the Panel noted that it would be incredibly challenging to carry out retrofit works to 3,175 council owned homes by 2030 in order to achieve an EPC rating of C, recognising that only 70 had been carried out to date.  It was questioned whether this would be achievable.  In response, it was recognised that whilst challenging, there was confidence it could be achieved.  It was explained that many of the properties were in band D and that the upgrade work was relatively minimal with increased insulation being the main measure to ensure that properties meet the target.  Much of the groundwork, particularly in relation to the procurement of contractors to carry out these works was underway. 

The Assistant Director Housing highlighted to the Panel section 8 of the report which dealt with the financial implications.  The significant funding required to carry out the retrofit works was not currently available and would be a budget pressure in the medium to long term.

RESOLVED:

That the progress made to deliver the priorities and actions in the Greener Housing Strategy 2022-32 be noted.