Issue - meetings

Key Decision

Portfolio Holder

Councillor Tom Hollis – Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Council and Social Housing

RESOLVED that

a)    heat meters be installed only to those properties where the Regulations require it (including future installations where required by the Regulations);

b)    a heating charge be developed at a rate per kwh of heat used (per building) for heat provided to the flats and to be reviewed annually;

c)    a Common Areas heating charge be established to recoup the residual costs of providing heating and hot water (and heat losses in transferring heat from the boilers to their respective destination) to the respective buildings to enable the Council to break even with respect to its outgoings when compared to income;

d)    charges included in points b) and c) above, to include all applicable costs including:-

·         Installation charges

·         Maintenance charges

·         Heat used (kwh)

·         Metering and billing charges

·         Common Areas heating charge

e)    approval be given for the Corporate Finance Manager (& Section 151 Officer) to determine the most appropriate approach to charges in terms of whether such charges are to be fixed or variable, and the timing of payment of such charges;

f)     heating to corridors and common areas (introducing remote control of temperature by the Council where considered appropriate) be maintained;

g)    an external consultant be sourced to administer the additional metering and billing functions, including implementing a system such that meter readings are undertaken remotely (via sim card or other electronic means);

h)    users be charged at the end of each accounting period (monthly) as opposed to the use of pre-payment meters;

i)     approval be given to disconnect users if bills are not paid, unless by reasonable representation and determination of the Director of Housing and Assets;

j)     tenants be notified of the changes, including a potential revision to their respective Tenancy Agreements, relating to individual charges, as a move away from fixed charges to meet Regulatory requirements;

k)    relevant tenants be notified in a timely fashion when charges and the administrative approach has been established and agreed;

l)     delegated authority be granted to the Director of Housing and Assets and the Corporate Finance Manager (and Section 151 Officer), to decide whether to retain pooled charges (or not in future) if heat meters are not used across the relevant stock, following legal advice;

m)  relevant leaseholders (if applicable) be notified in a timely fashion when charges and the administrative approach has been established and agreed, with charges being applied at the discretion of the Director of Legal and Governance based upon the contents of the respective leases and compliance with relevant leaseholder legislation.

Cabinet was requested to consider the installation of heat meters to Council owned properties where the Regulations apply and heat metering is required.

As the installation of heat meters is now required under the new Heat Network (Metering and Billing) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, Members did not have any alternative options to consider.

RESOLVED that

a)    heat meters be installed only to those properties where the Regulations require it (including future installations where required by the Regulations);

b)    a heating charge be developed at a rate per kwh of heat used (per building) for heat provided to the flats and to be reviewed annually;

c)    a Common Areas heating charge be established to recoup the residual costs of providing heating and hot water (and heat losses in transferring heat from the boilers to their respective destination) to the respective buildings to enable the Council to break even with respect to its outgoings when compared to income;

d)    charges included in points b) and c) above, to include all applicable costs including:-

·         Installation charges

·         Maintenance charges

·         Heat used (kwh)

·         Metering and billing charges

·         Common Areas heating charge

e)    approval be given for the Corporate Finance Manager (& Section 151 Officer) to determine the most appropriate approach to charges in terms of whether such charges are to be fixed or variable, and the timing of payment of such charges;

f)     heating to corridors and common areas (introducing remote control of temperature by the Council where considered appropriate) be maintained;

g)    an external consultant be sourced to administer the additional metering and billing functions, including implementing a system such that meter readings are undertaken remotely (via sim card or other electronic means);

h)    users be charged at the end of each accounting period (monthly) as opposed to the use of pre-payment meters;

i)     approval be given to disconnect users if bills are not paid, unless by reasonable representation and determination of the Director of Housing and Assets;

j)     tenants be notified of the changes, including a potential revision to their respective Tenancy Agreements, relating to individual charges, as a move away from fixed charges to meet Regulatory requirements;

k)    relevant tenants be notified in a timely fashion when charges and the administrative approach has been established and agreed;

l)     delegated authority be granted to the Director of Housing and Assets and the Corporate Finance Manager (and Section 151 Officer), to decide whether to retain pooled charges (or not in future) if heat meters are not used across the relevant stock, following legal advice;

m)  relevant leaseholders (if applicable) be notified in a timely fashion when charges and the administrative approach has been established and agreed, with charges being applied at the discretion of the Director of Legal and Governance based upon the contents of the respective leases and compliance with relevant leaseholder legislation.

Reason:

To comply with the requirements of the Heat Network (Metering and Billing) (Amendment) Regulations 2020.