Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Head of Finance, Property and Climate Resilience and the Climate and Sustainability Specialist on the Green Enterprise Grants help Mid Devon businesses to invest towards making their operations more sustainable through energy and resource efficiency.

The Cabinet had before it a report * from the Head of Finance, Property and Climate Resilience and Climate and Sustainability Specialist proposing to continue and improve the current scheme, to build on the success whilst learning from experience thus far.

RESOLVED that:

1.     The Green Enterprise Grant scheme to continue to run for a new phase April 2026 to December 2028 inclusive be APPROVED.

2.     That delegated authority be granted to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Head of Finance, Property and Climate Resilience, to deliver the Green Enterprise Grant scheme.

3.     An interim performance review report after the 2026- 2027 financial year and a final review report when the scheme ends be presented to Cabinet.

Note: *Report previously circulated

The Cabinet had before it a report * from the Head of Finance, Property and Climate Resilience and Climate and Sustainability Specialist proposing to continue and improve the current scheme, to build on the success whilst learning from experience thus far.

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change outlined the contents of the report with particular reference to the following:

• The proposal for Cabinet was to continue to run the Green Enterprise Grants scheme until December 2028.
• The following changes had been made:

Ø  A target annual budget of £20k seemed realistic (£30k was allocated).

Ø  To enable more bids – to allow applicants more time to develop a project and plan ahead.

Ø  Community benefit - to make it easier for community halls (village halls, parish halls and church halls) to apply for funding.

Ø  To sharpen the focus on enabling transition to a greener economy (favour low carbon tech).

• The scheme was modest in scale and performed well:

Ø  Dealing with 20% more enquiries in 2025, the Economic Development Team had excelled on administering the scheme.

Ø  The Decision Panel approved five grants in 2025, over £17k total, expecting to save nine tonnes of emissions.

Ø  Bids were subject to robust agreements and due diligence checks.

RESOLVED that:

1. The Green Enterprise Grant scheme to continue to run for a new phase April 2026 to December 2028 inclusive be APPROVED.
2. That delegated authority be granted to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Head of Finance, Property and Climate Resilience, to deliver the Green Enterprise Grant Scheme.
3. An interim performance review report after the 2026- 2027 financial year and a final review report when the scheme ends to be presented to Cabinet.

(Proposed by Cllr N Bradshaw and seconded by Cllr G DuChesne)

Reason for decision:

The grants would be funded by existing approved budgets. External funding would also be sought, in order to support or extend the grant scheme.

Note: *Report previously circulated