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Lewes and Eastbourne
Councils

Agenda item

Investing in green energy initiatives- update

Report of Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Regeneration and Planning

Lead Cabinet members: Councillors Matthew Bird and Zoe Nicholson

 

(This report contains an exempt appendix. Any discussion of this must take place at item 16 following exclusion of the public.)

Decision:

(Key decision):

 

(1) To delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and Cabinet member for finance and assets, to increase the loan provision to OVESCO up to a maximum of £155,000 for development funding to take the solar farm proposal set out in section 2 and Appendix 1 of the report to planning submission, subject to further due diligence being carried out, satisfactory loan terms and milestones being agreed.

 

(2) To request that the Climate Change Scrutiny Panel provide oversight to the project.

Minutes:

The Cabinet considered the report of the Deputy Chief Executive and the Director of Regeneration and Planning, providing an update to the work initiated by the report considered at Cabinet on 25 March 2021.

 

The Policy and Performance Advisory Committee (PPAC) at its meeting on 30 June 2021, made the following recommendation to Cabinet:

 

To support the officer recommendations in the Cabinet report subject to the following amended recommendation (1) being considered by the Cabinet:

 

(1)  To delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and Cabinet member for finance and assets, to increase the loan provision to OVESCO up to a maximum of £155,000 for development funding to take the solar farm proposal set out in section 2 and Appendix 1 of this report to planning submission, subject to the loan agreement being made directly with OVESCO Ltd, and subject to further due diligence being carried out, satisfactory loan terms and milestones being agreed

 

Following presentation of the report, Cabinet resolved to exclude the public whilst discussing the exempt appendix, recommendations from PPAC and comments from visiting members, as otherwise there was a likelihood of disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, paragraph 3 – Information relating to the financial and business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

 

Following discussion of the PPAC recommendation and exempt appendix, the public meeting resumed, and Cabinet unanimously agreed the officer recommendations as set out in the report.

 

Resolved (Key decision):

 

(1) To delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and Cabinet member for finance and assets, to increase the loan provision to OVESCO up to a maximum of £155,000 for development funding to take the solar farm proposal set out in section 2 and Appendix 1 of the report to planning submission, subject to further due diligence being carried out, satisfactory loan terms and milestones being agreed.

 

(2) To request that the Climate Change Scrutiny Panel provide oversight to the project.

 

Reason for decisions:

 

(1) Investigating the opportunities to develop and enable solar energy production directly supports the aims of the Council detailed within the Corporate Plan 2020-2024 to lead the community to net zero carbon and engage with the community energy sector.

 

(2) Supporting community energy generation could enable community investment and assist with community wealth building objectives.

 

(3) Development finance is the most difficult finance to gain for a community energy company when delivering a project of this scale.

 

(4) Maintaining Council input into the development of the project financially de-risks it and enables project oversight to hopefully ensure delivery.

 

(5) Developing solar generation within the district will help meet goals and targets detailed within the Climate Change & Sustainability Strategy including the overarching net zero carbon by 2030 targets.

 

Notes: (1) The appendix remained exempt. (2) Exempt information reason 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Supporting documents: