Issue - meetings

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Planning and Development.

1.         To approve a capital budget of £1,590,085 funded by £285,290 grant and £1,304,975 of borrowing to finance the works to decarbonise the Town Hall and reduce the footprint of the building by 58%.

2.         To note the works are procured in conjunction with the Accommodation project at the Town Hall that forms part of the previously approved Workplace Strategy.

The Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Wilson, presented the report of the Director of Planning and Development which outlined work required to reduce the carbon footprint of the Town Hall and sought approval to commence the works, estimated to cost £1,590,085.

The Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019 and set an ambitious target for Chorley to be net zero carbon by 2030.  The recommendations made by the Overview and Scrutiny Task Group for the Green Agenda included actions to reduce the carbon footprint of the Councils’ assets and these were also proposed as part of the draft Climate Change Strategy.  The Town Hall was the first of these assets to have a detailed assessment and proposal for decarbonisation, with others to follow in coming months and years.

Members noted that PSDS3 grant funding was conditional on the completion of all decarbonisations works by end March 2023.  With grant funds released 1 April 2022, all works must be completed and reported by 31 March 2023.  Failure to comply could result in money being withheld from the grant or returned.

It was clarified that the projected figures within the report were from 2019.  There was a general wish to reduce the use of gas and the boilers at the Town Hall were end of life so it made sense to focus on the Town Hall first.  A report would be brought to a future meeting regarding the Accommodation project which considered the use of Council buildings post Covid.  This report would include updated figures regarding carbon savings. 

A typographical error was noted relating to the annual cost of energy, but it was noted that the decarbonisation work would lower the carbon footprint of the Town Hall by at least 58% from 100,522.48 kg CO2e to 58,522.48 kg CO2e.  This was a significant reduction which would contribute to the achievement of the commitment to reducing the footprint of the council. 

The cost of borrowing to achieve this would be repaid over 30 years and was considered to be the right thing to do, particularly given the current uncertainty regarding energy costs. 

The Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Wilson proposed and the Executive Leader, Councillor Alistair Bradley seconded the (by majority 25:0:10) Decision

1.         To approve a capital budget of £1,590,085 funded by £285,290 grant and £1,304,975 of borrowing to finance the works to decarbonise the Town Hall and reduce the footprint of the building by 58%.

2.         To note the works are procured in conjunction with the Accommodation project at the Town Hall that forms part of the previously approved Workplace Strategy.