Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Environment and Public Space submitted a report on the concept of community energy and of options for encouraging the development of community energy initiatives within the District and working closely with community groups.  The Environmental Strategy and Development Manager gave a presentation on the background in relation to community energy initiatives and summarised the report drawing Members’ attention to the range of opportunities listed in paragraph 5.0.

Councillor H Drake said that the Council should lead by example and suggested that it should initiate energy measures on the roofs of its own buildings and act as a facilitator in terms of information which could be provided to others.    Councillor K Brush supported using the Council’s own buildings to promote the initiative, but did not think there was a need to encourage others to do so as he felt that other individuals would take on whatever measures they felt necessary.

Councillor K Crofton explained that the district is on the brink of a massive housing building project and that the Council should be encouraging planners to incorporate viable energy schemes into housing developments over a certain size. 

Councillor T Page agreed that there was an opportunity to ensure that renewable energy projects were taken up at the planning stage, but that developers would argue that a housing development scheme would not be financially viable.  He sought confirmation that Officers were discussing such matters with regard to the emerging District Plan.  Councillor T Page referred to the energy project run by Hertfordshire County Council.  The Environmental Strategy and Development Strategy Manager explained that he had had discussions with Officers on the emerging District Plan and that the HCC scheme was a fuel tariff switching scheme, whereas the community energy scheme was about generating power in the community and making carbon savings.

The Committee acknowledged the range of opportunities for supporting the development of community energy initiatives and recommended to the Executive, that:

·        the Council should support a scheme of renewable energy in relation to its own estate and to act as a source of publicity, information and advice through appropriate media; 

·        planning officers be asked to raise the profile to promote community energy in the District Plan; and

·        consideration be given to including community energy as a requirement within the District Plan.

RESOLVED – that the Executive be advised that Environment Scrutiny Committee:

(A)            supports a scheme of renewable energy in relation to its own estate and to act as a source of publicity, information and advice through appropriate media;

(B)             planning officers be asked to raise the profile to promote community energy in the District Plan; and

(C)       consideration be given to including community energy as a requirement within the District Plan.