Issue details

Proposed decision:

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate and Traded Services to agree to:

1.  authorise the granting of a Lease in excess of 20 years to Solar for Schools in order that a new solar panel installation can be built within the grounds of St. Nicholas’ School, Canterbury to serve the school; and

2.  delegate authority to the Director of Infrastructure, in consultation with the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate and Traded Services to take necessary actions, including but not limited to entering into relevant contracts or other legal agreements, as required to implement this. 

Reason for the Decision

The granting of a Formal Lease in excess 20 years requires a Key Decision in accordance with the County Council’s Property Management Protocol.

Background

The school is owned by the County Council.  Solar for Schools have approached a number of operational Schools in Kent, of various status, regarding installation of solar panels on the roofs of such Schools together with reports of potential system sizes and financial savings.  The school is one of two Schools owned and maintained by the County Council who are interested in the proposal.  Three other Schools of different tenue and status have had such installations installed without any problems and achieving notable savings on costs of electricity consumption. 

In order that such an installation can be provided at this School, it is necessary for Solar for Schools to be granted a lease of over 20 years in respect of the land and accommodation needed to install the solar panel project.  It is necessary for the new solar panels to be provided on part of the site, as owned by the County Council, for use and operation by the school.  

The proposed new solar panels will serve the school only and in addition to savings in cost of electricity consumption, Solar for Schools will provide educational content linked to the national curriculum and link such tuition of green skills to the school’s pupils direct, also saving staff resource. 

For consistency with other leases granted on operational schools to Solar for Schools, a lease of over 20 years will need to be granted for the provision and operation of the new solar panels. 

Options Considered 

Using the County Council’s Loan Scheme for Schools - solar PV systems could be installed through the LASER Energy Department for Education (DfE) Compliant Solar Framework.  This option could still require capital investment from Schools, which most Schools cannot currently afford.

Do nothing - Alternatively, the County Council could do nothing and allow its School to continue using electricity as it does at present, which in turn will generate higher running costs. This would not be cost effective, due to the possibility of having a solution presented by Solar for Schools that would not cost any capital to implement and derive lower running costs for the school.   

How the proposed decision supports the Framing Kent's Future - Our Council Strategy 2022-2026  

This decision supports Framing Kent’s Future – Our Council Strategy 2022-2026 as the decision assists in enabling the provision of more cost-effective electricity consumption to existing education buildings used by the school.  This supports KCC's commitment to maintaining its strategic role in supporting schools in Kent to deliver accessible, high-quality education provision.  

Infrastructure for the Communities will be improved by the new solar panels using modern materials and technologies associated with prevailing solar panel design and construction and protected for long term use by the presence of a long lease.?

Environmental Step Change objectives will also be achieved, as the proposed lease will compel the operator to use sustainable materials and reduce any carbon emissions compared to existing solar panels which will help the County Council achieve its Net Zero targets.