Issue - meetings

Progress Update: RE:FIT Project

Meeting: 24/03/2021 - Regeneration Scrutiny Committee (Item 7)

7 Progress Update: RE:FIT Project pdf icon PDF 471 KB

To consider the report of the Team Manager Regeneration Opportunities.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to report of the Team Manager Regeneration Opportunities.

 

The Team Manager Regeneration Opportunities presented the report which provided update on progress of the RE:FIT project to deliver more efficiently managed energy within Council properties and reduce energy costs to the Council, Leisure Trust and Schools in forthcoming years.

 

Around 35 buildings were originally considered to form part of the Blaenau Gwent RE:FIT project and an initial phase was developed. This phase was further split into smaller stages to enable works to be undertaken as proposals were developed and agreed, and these were highlighted in sections 2.5 – 2.17 of the report.

 

The Officer explained that whilst there would be annual energy savings, those identified in section 5.8 of the report are gross energy savings. The savings would be used to make the bi-annual repayments of the loan to Salix. In order to realise in-year savings, the loan repayments would be extended from 8 years to 10 years and this would allow buildings to benefit from some of the savings generated from participating in the project. Once repayment is complete all buildings would benefit from all the savings.

 

A Member referred to section 2.15 of the report and asked whether this was the figure of the total number of streetlights within the residential areas of Blaenau Gwent.

 

The Officer undertook to check whether this was the figure was just residential or included other areas.  However, she reported that if there were any lights left, a possible future phase could be considered and Salix had indicated that they would welcome other projects.

 

In response to a further question raised by a Member, the Officer confirmed that the streetlights would be operated by one management system moving forward as detailed in section 2.13 of the report.

 

In terms of future projects, a Member asked whether road traffic management signs could be considered, and the Officer undertook to liaise with the Community Services Team.

 

Another Member said he was aware that a number of schools were concerned about entering the project and whether the potential savings generated would be sufficient to cover the loan repayments, and asked for information on the figures.

 

The Officer said there were no figures available at the moment due to the Covid pandemic.   She explained that the savings were calculated on a certain profile, and estimates based on buildings being operational.  However, due to Covid the schools had been closed so this would impact on savings.  The Officer confirmed that the next report to Committee it was intended to include case studies of buildings in terms of what was installed and the costs, and savings etc.

 

The Committee AGREED to recommend that the report be accepted and note the progress of the project, and a further

report on performance will be provided in the future.