Abdul Khan, Service Manager for Energy and Sustainability informed Members his team was seeking a budget of £240,000 in order to pilot a project to support schools across the Borough to reduce energy comsumption and resulting carbon dioxide emissions. The funds would be section 106 fund from the Carbon Offset Fund.

Abdul stated the project would be looking to install energy efficient measures into schools that will reduce their energy consumption, carbon emission and costs. He said there would be an open application process for schools to apply for funding for retrofit projects.

Members of the Sub-Committee asked the following questions:

·         This is a worthwhile initiative and will assist schools. Energy efficiency needs to part of the building process especially for those schools which have been newly built

·         Can PFI built schools also apply for funding?

·         Is support to be provided to schools after the initial process of applying for funding?

·         How many schools are you looking to support in the first phase?

·         Would £30,000 be sufficient for schools in older Victorian buildings? Is this amount enough to cover the cost of lighting upgrades, for example?

·         How does this project link with the Mayor of London’s Air Quality Initiative?

·         Would some schools need encouragement to apply?

·         How are you to achieve economies of scale if schools can use their own contractors to deliver the energy efficiencies?

The Grants Scrutiny Sub-Committee NOTED the report and AGREED to endorse the recommendations contained within the report and asked their comments be reported to the Grants Determination Sub-Committee.