Issue - meetings

That the report be noted.

The Chairman invited Councillor H.T. Isherwood to join the Committee to outline her concerns regarding the Salix scheme in schools. 

            Councillor Isherwood explained that a number of headteachers had signed a loan agreement to go ahead with the scheme without informing their Governing Body as they had mistakenly assumed, due to the wording of the application form, that the applicant was the Authority’s Energy Unit.  She stated that headteachers were only able to sign agreements if empowered to do so under the School’s Scheme of Delegation.  

            The Chairman welcomed and introduced Mr Will Pierce, Energy Manager, and invited him to respond to the comments and concerns raised by Councillor Isherwood concerning the operation of the Salix and Authority ‘spend to save’ schemes to support energy reduction in schools.  Mr. Pierce advised that the issue raised by Councillor Isherwood had been addressed and the application form for the Salix loan agreement had been amended to also include authorisation by the Chair of Governors.  He advised that the Energy Unit had developed a protocol which had just been issued to schools to ensure they had a clear understanding of the scheme prior to signing up.  In conclusion Mr Pierce highlighted the positive benefits and savings to be achieved as a result of participating in the scheme which had been successfully operated in Flintshire schools for a number of years. 

            The Chairman welcomed the fact that a protocol had been drawn up to ensure that headteachers and schools had clarity prior to signing up to the Scheme.

RESOLVED

That the report be noted.