ECO represents a significant opportunity for local authorities and registered providers on the one hand and for energy companies and third party contractors and service companies on the other. The big six energy companies are seeking to work directly with those public authorities who have housing stock to see what ECO can be applied to that stock.
There are, however, a number of factors for local authorities and registered providers to consider carefully before taking the first offer made by an obligated energy supplier.
The EU Commission formally approved the UK Government's support of its Green Deal initiative on 5 February 2013 and found that this support is in line with EU rules on state aid and will ultimately assist competition.
Ever since the Government indicated that it was committed to improving energy efficiency and reducing fuel poverty through the Green Deal initiative, sections of the media and other commentators have lined up to highlight aspects of the Green Deal which they do not believe will work or deliver the expected benefits. So who is right? Is Green Deal the real deal? Is it even the right deal?
On 23 January 2013 the NHS announced the establishment of a new £50m capital fund in the 2013-14 financial year for the improvement of energy efficiency across the NHS in order to contribute towards the NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy for England (CRS). In this alert we set out some details of the proposals together with a summary of our experience of other related energy efficiency and energy generation issues.
On 18 January 2012 the consultation phase for the Governments flagship energy efficiency programme “Green Deal” closed, with secondary legislation expected to follow later in the year. Described as the biggest upgrade of UK housing since World War 2, the programme will offer energy efficiency improvements to homeowners with the aim of significantly reducing energy consumption and subsequent CO2 emissions. At the heart of the proposal is the “Green Deal plan” which means the cost of any improvements must be met through reduced energy bills with no upfront charge to consumers.
In the last month HM Treasury has issued guidance on making savings in operational PFI contracts. The guidance follows the draft guidance issued in January this year and is intended to assist public sector PFI Contract Managers to identify and implement savings measures that would reduce costs whilst maintaining frontline services.
The guidance focuses upon four pilot cost saving reviews of operational PFI projects, one by HM Treasury with the Cabinet Office and three by the MoD. The pilot reviews have confirmed the draft guidance recommendations for achieving operational savings identifying three main categories, this article examines those categories.
This week the Secretary of State for Education has set out his proposals for the reform of schools capital spending. This included his response to the Review of Education Capital published by Sebastian James on 8 April 2011.
This article considers the case of Alstom Transport v Eurostar International Ltd & Siemens plc [2011] EWHC 1828 (Ch) that was decided on 13 July 2011, in which the court for the first time considered the availability of the new ‘ineffectiveness’ remedy under Regulation 45J of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2006.
The publication of the Review of Education Capital by Sebastian James on 8 April 2011 has finally cleared the way for local authorities to understand the future regime
for allocating capital from DfE.
The legal challenge by six local authorities over the decision to stop funding for the renewal of some of its schools has succeeded.