Decision details

To enter into a Cooperation Agreement with Keynsham Community Energy (KCE). KCE is a not for profit social enterprise which develops renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in the Keynsham area. KCE is set up to retain the economic benefits of renewable energy in the local area through a community fund and involving local residents in energy projects through local share offers. KCE's projects will help Council to meet its climate change and energy security aims. Since 2011 the Council has had a Cooperation Agreement with Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE) which will be used as a template for the Agreement with KCE.

The Cabinet Member agrees that the Council should enter into a

Cooperation Agreement with KCE for five years, from 2017 to 2022.

This Cooperation Agreement enables the Council and KCE to work together to deliver the B&NES Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy aim of providing leadership to enable a 45% cut in district wide CO2 emissions by 2029. It will also maximise the proportion of the Placemaking Plan’s renewable energy target that is delivered using a community model.

This will build community resilience, for example, by alleviating the impact of rising fossil-fuelled energy prices, providing greater local energy security and retaining economic benefit locally, and will establish a significant ‘community fund’ for re-investing in local energy projects in the area. It will provide key support to the forthcoming B&NES local energy tariff; the intention is to include local renewable power as part of a local green tariff offer.

Working with commercial companies to deliver similar projects, working with organisations that are similar to KCE.