To facilitate the decarbonisation project, a package of enabling works are to be instructed. These works consist of both repair of the existing mechanical and electrical plant where compatible, and upgrade of plant where compatibility would not be facilitated by repair.

1. Agree to instruct Faithful and Gould and Wilmott Dixon to undertake the enabling works required to facilitate the decarbonisation project.

2. Agree to allocate a capital fund the enabling works using the budget of £3.05m financed by identified for capital resources set aside to finance works arising from the stock condition surveys, in the February 2021 refresh of the Medium Term Financial Plan project.

The programme for the decarbonisation works is challenging and it is recommended that both Faithful and Gould (F&G) and Wilmott Dixon are instructed on the enabling works in order to successfully manage the programme for both the decarbonisation project and enabling works to completion to meet the Salix deadline of March 2022.

The decarbonisation project cannot progress without the instruction of the enabling works package. In order to meet the Salix timelines for completion by 31st March 2022 the works must be instructed by 5th July 2021.

The Council was allocated £10.9m from the public sector decarbonisation fund to finance the provision of heat pumps, thermal storage and battery storage at Oxford City Council sites and the development of renewable energy to reduce Council carbon emissions. To not proceed with the enabling works would put the delivery of that project at risk.

Caroline Green, Head of Paid Service (Chief Executive).

Decision taken in consultation with:

·         Cllr Susan Brown, Leader

·         Cllr Ed Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management

·         Cllr Tom Hayes, Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford

·         Cllr Mary Clarkson, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism

·         Cllr Shaista Aziz, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Communities

·         Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services

·         Susan Sale, Head of Law and Governance.