Decision

(1)     That approval be given to authorise acceptance of a maximum of £5.5m grant funding, from the Government’s Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) to fund proposed energy-efficiency improvements to council-owned dwellings in Sandwell.

(2)     That the Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer be authorised to enter into a grant funding agreement with DESNZ, subject to a satisfactory financial appraisal being completed by the Strategic Finance.

(3)     That subject to (1) and (2) above, the Director of Finance be authorised to allocate the sum in the order of £16m from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), to both match-fund and supplement proposed energy-efficiency improvements to council-owned dwellings in Sandwell.

(4)     That the Director of Housing be authorised to instruct the Council’s External Improvement Programme construction partners once appointed (currently being procured), to deliver associated energy improvement works in accordance with the contractual arrangements.

(5)     That the Director of Housing be authorised to instruct agencies procured via the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to carry out specialist duties, on behalf of Sandwell MBC, in relation to the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.