Agenda item

The Forum received a report which provided them with details of the Schools’ Carbon Footprint for 2011-12.  They were requested to note the financial contribution made in 2011/12 for the schools element of the Carbon Reduction Commitment and a request was made for provision for funding for 2012/13. 

The views of the Forum were also sought on whether they would fund the delivery of a Low Carbon Schools Service which would aim to reduce energy bills in schools and the financial impact of the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) in future years.

The members were reminded that in October 2011 the Forum received a report which explained the operations of the Carbon Reduction Commitment and the financial implications for schools. The scheme required the local authority to submit an annual report in July which outlined our carbon emissions for the previous year.  It was noted that carbon allowances must be purchased to cover the emissions from the previous year at a current cost of £12 per tonne. 

An annual report covering local authority and school emissions was submitted in July 2012 which indicated that the total emissions for the year 2011/12 were 13,179 tonnes of Co2.  The split between corporate and schools buildings was detailed in the report and it was noted that the cost of the schools element was £80,808.85.  The figure for academies had been included in the corporate figure and would be recharged separately.

The report presented further information on Halton’s carbon emissions since the Council started to collate data in 2006.  Corporate emissions had shown a reduction year on year however school emissions had fluctuated but were generally on the increase. 

The Forum was advised the Council had developed a ‘Low Carbon Schools Service’ in conjunction with the Carbon Trust, which aimed to build capacity schools and provide tools to enable schools to take more control over their lighting, ICT, electricity equipment and heating.  The service would provide a two-tier service as explained in detail in the report.  It was reported that that 10 schools would participate in the programme for a period of one year, and would be a mixture of Primary and Secondary schools.  It was estimated that the service could achieve annual savings of between £15,000 and £20,000 per annum on energy bills and additional £1,500 on CRC liabilities. 

It was estimated that the delivery of this programme would require the support of an officer for two days per week, totalling £10,000 per annum. 

Following debate the Forum agreed to fund this amount from the Dedicated Schools Grant, and agreed to a provision of £85,000 from the Dedicated Schools Grant for the Carbon Reduction commitment for 2012/13.

RESOLVED:  That:

1)    Schools Forum note the financial contribution of £80,808.85 from the 2011/12 Dedicated Schools Grant to fund the Carbon Reduction commitment;

2)    Provision be made of £85,000 from the Dedicated Schools Grant 2012/13 to fund the Carbon Reduction commitment; and

3)    Schools Forum agree to fund the Low Carbon Schools Service from the Dedicated Schools Grant.