Issue - meetings

To consider a report from the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment.

Decision of the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment

(a)  That Low Carbon Dorset can issue a grant award letter for £1,500,000 to the Canford Renewable Energy project that has been approved by the Low Carbon Dorset Grants Panel and Board, given that the value is over the £500,000 threshold for Executive Director decision, be agreed

(b)  That, following any future decision by the Low Carbon Dorset grants panel and board to award grants over the key decision threshold of £500k, agreement to make any such award be delegated to the Executive Director for Place after consultation with the relevant portfolio holders. Any use of this proposed recommendation would be exercised transparently, being publicised in advance in the forward plan and afterwards in decision notices published on the Council’s website.

Decision - Low Carbon Dorset Grant payments Over £500,000 - Dorset Council (wdwp.local)

Reason for the Decision:

The Low Carbon Dorset grant fund and the method by which grants are paid out by Dorset Council and claimed back from the European Regional Development Fund has already been agreed by the predecessor Dorset County Council Cabinet. When the Low Carbon Dorset programme is successfully completed it will be cost neutral to Dorset Council. However, Cabinet is required to approve all key decisions with financial consequences of £500,000 or more.

The Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment presented a report seeking grant funding of £1,500,000 to the Canford Renewable Energy project. He confirmed that the Low Carbon Dorset Grants Panel and Board had already approved the project, but it needed to come forward to Cabinet as the value of funding was over the £500,000 threshold for an Executive Director decision.

Cabinet members confirmed that they were “minded to” approve the recommendation as set out within the report.

Decision of the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment

(a)  That Low Carbon Dorset can issue a grant award letter for £1,500,000 to the Canford Renewable Energy project that has been approved by the Low Carbon Dorset Grants Panel and Board, given that the value is over the £500,000 threshold for Executive Director decision, be agreed

(b)  That, following any future decision by the Low Carbon Dorset grants panel and board to award grants over the key decision threshold of £500k, agreement to make any such award be delegated to the Executive Director for Place after consultation with the relevant portfolio holders. Any use of this proposed recommendation would be exercised transparently, being publicised in advance in the forward plan and afterwards in decision notices published on the Council’s website.

Decision - Low Carbon Dorset Grant payments Over £500,000 - Dorset Council (wdwp.local)

Reason for the Decision:

The Low Carbon Dorset grant fund and the method by which grants are paid out by Dorset Council and claimed back from the European Regional Development Fund has already been agreed by the predecessor Dorset County Council Cabinet. When the Low Carbon Dorset programme is successfully completed it will be cost neutral to Dorset Council. However, Cabinet is required to approve all key decisions with financial consequences of £500,000 or more.

To consider a report from the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment.

This report was deferred.

This report was deferred to the next meeting of Cabinet in July.