Issue - meetings

To seek approval for an assessment of the potential for community energy and develop a strategy for community energy for the borough.

Consideration was given to a proposal to engage Community Energy South (CES) to undertake an assessment of community energy potential and develop a strategy for Tonbridge and Malling.

Community energy referred to the delivery of community-led renewable energy, energy demand reduction and energy supply projects. From an energy section perspective, community energy helped to balance supply and demand at a local level, reduced transmission losses, increased resilience and helped tackle fuel poverty and high energy bills.

Members were advised that community energy projects were uniquely placed to engage local people, businesses and education in decarbonisation and energy efficiency, increasing skills and training and contributing to the changes in consumer behaviour required for the transition to Net Zero.  Although there were active climate change and community groups across the Borough it was currently unknown what the potential might be for community energy or how opportunities could be developed.  It was also reported that existing community energy project groups in the Borough had indicated that support earlier in identifying and delivering projects and understanding the process would have been extremely helpful.

CES had developed a five step multi-year Pathways Programme with Step 1 being the undertaking of an assessment to inform the development of a community energy strategy.   This first step would cost in the region of £22,250 and could be funded using the revenue budget for climate change initiatives allocation from the Climate Change Reserve as detailed in 7.1 of the report.  It was expected that there would not be any longer-term financial commitment from the Borough Council as community groups that initiated projects would be responsible for funding them.

There was in-depth discussion on the merits of supporting community energy, the engagement of an external provider to undertake an assessment and whether this proposal represented value for money.   Members also queried whether other ways of communicating and promoting community energy should be considered.

On the grounds that there was confusion around community energy and the role of the Borough Council and an external assessor, Cllr Lark proposed that a decision on this matter be deferred so that Community Energy South could be invited to a meeting of the Communities and Environment Scrutiny Select Committee to explain what the Step 1 funding would provide and how this would benefit residents.  This was seconded by Cllr Dalton and supported by the majority of the Committee.

DEFERRED:  For the following reason

(1)             Community Energy South be invited to a meeting of the Communities and Environment Scrutiny Select Committee to explain what the Step 1 funding would provide and how this would benefit residents and community groups.