Agenda item

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:

1.    That it be noted that the previous decision to award the community energy switching scheme to Robin Hood Energy has not been able to be progressed.

2.    That approval be given to the re-tendering of the community energy switching scheme contract.

3.    That approval be given to the development and implementation of an internal independent community energy scheme to run during the tender process.

Consideration was given to a report which proposed a change of approach in respect of the Community Energy Switching Scheme that had been approved by Cabinet on 16th September, 2019, where a contract had been awarded to Robin Hood Energy (RHE). It was noted that, in the time since RHE was awarded the contract, a new management team had been enlisted and their business model reviewed and changed.  As a result, RHE could not agree to the specification under the terms of the procurement process and so the contract could not be awarded.

It was reported that the recent tender process had provided a valuable insight into market conditions, and this learning had been taken forward into a revised proposal to re-tender the Community Energy Switching Scheme contract and to run an internal switching scheme in parallel with the procurement process to support Rotherham residents and gain essential market data. 

This report detailed the proposed activity for 2020/21 which included:

·       a market engagement and tender process for a new Community Energy Switching Scheme;

·       an internally delivered switching scheme to run during the tender process; and,

·       a Smart Meter project funded by National Energy Association (NEA) which would help to support the switching scheme

It was noted that the report had been subject to pre-decision scrutiny by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board at its meeting on 15 July 2020 where Members had supported the recommendations and requested a report on further developments in respect of the Community Energy Switching Scheme to be submitted to the Improving Places Select Commission. This recommendation was endorsed by the Cabinet.

Resolved:-

1.    That it be noted that the previous decision to award the community energy switching scheme to Robin Hood Energy has not been able to be progressed.

2.    That approval be given to the re-tendering of the community energy switching scheme contract.

3.    That approval be given to the development and implementation of an internal independent community energy scheme to run during the tender process.

4.    That the recommendation of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board be endorsed.