URL: https://democracy.stratford.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=4186

Decision Maker:

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose: Stratford-on-Avon District Council funded component (£1.1m).

Content: Stratford-on-Avon District Council funded component (£1.1m). To implement robust parameters when using the Stratford District Council funding for Warm Homes Local Grant whilst retaining the ability to vary the DESNZ cost caps when needed. We will vary the cost cap parameters from the guidelines set by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for Warm Homes Local Grant, for properties treated using Council funds. This will enable the Council to upgrade properties which would not be treatable under DESNZ guidelines. However, to avoid disincentivising the DESNZ funded activity we will implement stricter criteria under which these variations of the cost cap are acceptable.   The Warm Homes Local Grant (WHLG) is a Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) funded programme which runs from April 2025 for at least three years.   The Council has supplemented the three-year £700,000 allocation from DESNZ by awarding additional funding of £1,100,000 to the WHLG programme, to be spent over the three years 2025/6 – 2027/8. Utilising Council discretion to modify the cost cap parameters for this portion of the funding enables the scheme to benefit residents whose properties would be untreatable (or treatable to a lesser extent) under DESNZ guidelines.   The DESNZ guidelines state that: Warm Homes: Local Grant will have twin cost caps – one for energy performance upgrades and one for low carbon heating.     Combining the two £15,000 caps into one single cost cap of £30,000 – which can be spent on either energy performance upgrades and/or low carbon heating continues to be the most effective way of delivering measures for these homes, however, in practice, due to the increased flexibility in the SDC funding it has been found to create a significant inequality between the two funding streams and creates a risk of over incentivising the Stratford DC funding (as a result of its additional beneficial impact on the extent to which the applicant can benefit) and disincentivising residents from applying for the DESNZ allocation, with the risk of not spending this and therefore returning it to DESNZ.   To mitigate the significant risk of not meeting our MNZH/DESNZ contractual spending requirements, we will introduce an enhanced set of criteria for accessing the Stratford DC funded element of the grant.   The following conditions will apply when administering the Stratford DC funding:   All applications will be subject to the same rules as the MNZH/DESNZ funding stream (£15,000 energy performance cost cap and £15,000 clean heat cost cap) unless they meet one of the following criteria:   1)   There are no major works/significant measures (see table below) recommended by the retrofit assessment that fit within either of the DESNZ cost caps. (For example, that the only recommended measure is an Air Source Heat Pump or External Wall Insulation and not Solar PV and this exceeds a DESNZ cost cap) 2)   The property is a Park Home, on a residential site and where it is impossible to install EWI/IWI and other ancillary measures (see definition below) within the DESNZ cost caps. 3)   The property is a listed building or falls within a conservation area – in this instance access to extra funding will only be used to meet the needs of the planning consent and not to gain extra measures. 4)   The property has no existing central heating or storage heating; the applicant qualifies for WHLG and therefore there is a significant need for a full heating system installation. 5)   The installation is replacing a highly polluting and/or high costly oil fired (or LPG) heating system with a clean energy solution (ASHP or ESH), and no alternative mains gas supply exists in the community or the participant does not have sufficient income to fund a connection to the existing gas supply. NOTE: WHLG scheme guidance does not require an assessment of savings, only income – we are proposing to adopt an identical approach to unsure that scheme guidance does not become overly complicated.   Works Designation Table – Warm Homes Local Grant Major works/significant measures Minor/ancillary measures Solar PV Loft insulation External/Internal Wall Insulation (EWI/IWI) Heating controls Air Source Heat Pump Hot water cylinder thermostat High Heat Retention Storage heaters Digital/smart controls (Only in conjunction with ASHP) Park home insulation Draft proofing (can only be installed with Loft insulation)   Ventilation   Loft boarding and fire system installation (Only in conjunction with Solar PV installation)   Low energy lighting   Cavity wall insulation   Given the experience of the team in delivering the scheme in a large rural district we would also seek to enable delegated authority to be provided to the HoS and Housing and Communities Manager to authorise awards where justifiable in any other circumstances deemed exceptional – Wholly at the discretion of Stratford DC. Communities and Social Inclusion Manager and Housing Sustainability Project Officer decision with sign-off through Housing and Communities Manager and review through Head of Service.

Date of Decision: June 15, 2026