Nottingham City Council is holding a virtual meeting today (27 August) to work out the next steps for its beleaguered supplier Robin Hood Energy.
The meeting follows the publication of the council’s External Auditor’s report, which looked into the not-for-profit energy company’s struggles. It proposed 13 recommendations to help address the failings in the council’s governance arrangements for Robin Hood Energy.
The council has said that it fully accepts the report’s findings and recommendations.
It has now established an action plan, which includes reviewing the council’s approach to ownership, providing mandatory training for councillors who sit on company boards, and reviewing the approach the council’s own risk management and governance as well as its companies.
Additionally it will look to improve the clarity of the roles of different committees where they are involved with aspects of a council owned company, and use external advice and best practice to ‘shape the way forward’.
Nottingham City Council has said that it fully accepts the report’s findings and recommendations.
City Council leader, Cllr David Mellen, said the report acknowledged the laudable intention of establishing the supplier – which was intended to reduce fuel poverty – but that the council’s governance was “not strong enough”.
“We are fully committed to implementing a range of changes and improvements which will address the recommendations made by the auditor, in respect of Robin Hood Energy, our other companies and the council as a whole.
“We will learn from the mistakes that have been made with Robin Hood Energy and from good practice in other companies we run, to find improved ways to serve the people of Nottingham.”
In May, Nottingham City Council appointed Deloitte to advise the company as part of a strategic review, in an effort to turn the company around.
Robin Hood Energy has been struggling for a while, with the council having to write off £24 million of its debt according to its 2018/19 annual report.
Members of the public will be able to contribute at today’s meeting, joining the livestream at 2pm here.
