Decision details

The Chairman of the Public Safety & Transport Select Committee, Councillor Keith Burrows, presented his Committee’s report into Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Future Policy Direction for the Borough, which was warmly endorsed by the Cabinet.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet welcomes the Committee’s report and recommendations which seek to both support and provide further strategic direction on the Council’s aims to assist in the Borough’s transition from Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Vehicles to Electric Vehicles (EV). Furthermore, that Cabinet welcomes the Committee’s support for its recent decision to implement a robust and scalable EV charging infrastructure in the Borough, commencing initially in Council owned car parks.

Short-Term Recommendations (for implementation in the next 6 – 12 months)

1)    That Cabinet seek to increase the transparency of information available on the Council’s website relating to EV charging infrastructure projects and installations to residents.

2)    That Cabinet seek to improve levels of engagement with residents through a mechanism to express their interest in local EV charging provision.

3)    That Cabinet note the objectives of the Council’s Strategic Climate Action Plan, with reference to sustainable transportation and the development of an EV charging action plan that will commit to increasing the availability of EV charge points across the Borough.

4)    That a report be prepared for the relevant Select Committee on an annual basis regarding the implementation of the new EV charge point contract, usage and monitoring data from those newly installed charge points where possible, and the development of EV Infrastructure across the Borough as it progresses.

Medium-Term Recommendations

5)    That Cabinet consider the merits of a more proactive enforcement effort to ensure developers make available suitable EV charging provision in their developments to fulfil their planning obligations.

6)    That Cabinet explore the viability of a policy to ensure equitable use of on-street residential charge points and incorporate EV considerations into the design of future Parking Management Schemes, in advance of any future decision on the feasibility of introducing on-street EV charging points.

7)    In support of the Council’s Strategic Climate Action Plan, that Cabinet endorses plans to replace all diesel-powered vehicles 3.5T and smaller within the Council’s fleet with EVs before 2030.

Longer-Term Recommendations

8)    That Cabinet concurs with the Committee’s findings that, whilst the Council is not wholly responsible at this time for directly providing EV infrastructure or the necessary utilities that support it, with such a societal paradigm shift, the Council should play a leading ‘enabling’ role to ensure that the Borough is working cooperatively with partners and is well prepared for the growing EV demand and the resultant technological, infrastructure and behavioural changes arising.

9)    That Cabinet considers the Select Committee’s long-term horizon findings from its review and the variables it has identified in how current and emerging EV technology and infrastructure may develop and change over time. This is so the Council can be both adaptive and responsive to future requirements and its residents - these have been set out in Annex A to these recommendations.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet received the Committee’s major review report which set out to support the Cabinet and Council in developing its future policies with regard to Electric Vehicles and EV infrastructure within the Borough.

The Cabinet Member for Public Safety and  Transport thanked the Committee for their very important report and welcomed the coverage of their recommendations over the short, medium to long term. The Cabinet Member noted the flexibility of arrangements with the Council’s commercial partner to roll out EV charging points and acknowledged the Council’s role to facilitate the growth in EV infrastructure locally.

The Leader of the Council paid thanks to the Committee for its timely and well written report and requested the Committee closely monitors the implementation of the recommendations going forward.

Alternative options considered and rejected

The Cabinet could have decided to reject some, or all, of the Committee’s recommendations or decided to pursue alternative routes by which to progress the objectives of the review.