Agenda item - Electric Vehicle Charging Update

Agenda item

Electric Vehicle Charging Update

Minutes:

[At the discretion of the Chairman, item 6 on the agenda – Electric Vehicle Charging Update – was considered before item 5 – Fly Tipping and Environmental Enforcement Update]

 

An update on the provision of electric vehicle charging points within the District was provided. It was explained that the Council was looking to increase the number of charging points within the District providing ‘off-street’ charging facilities for residents with no access to their own charge point. To enable this the Council had undertaken an expressions of interest consultation through the Crown Commercial Framework, followed by a full tender exercise. Four detailed responses were received which were being evaluated before the contract could be awarded.

 

The Environment Services Manager reported that perspective contractors were provided with a selection of locations (as listed in the report to the Board) some of which did not have chargers and others which only had one charging point. It was deemed appropriate to provide the contractor with a number of locations to initially investigate and propose for charging point installation. The rationale was that once the Council had engaged with a contractor, additional locations could be discussed at a later stage.

 

It was observed that some Wards in the District were currently not on the list for charging point installation. In Rubery South Ward, it was reported that the County Council allowed for installation of a charging point at the Co-Op Food supermarket, but works had been delayed. There was also a further charging point planned for Hagley West Ward at Webb’s Garden Centre.

 

It was reported that the responses received as part of the expressions of interest exercise showed that numerous companies were prepared to self-fund the installation of chargers and look after any necessary maintenance and replacement in the future, which would remove the need for the Council to pump prime the project and go through the grant application process.

 

Members discussed whether public lamp posts could be considered as charging point locations. The Environmental Services Manager responded that this option was investigated, however, there was a safety issue and cost implication where the lamp posts had been installed on the far end of a pavement away from the road. Such charging points would need to be operated on a three-phase electric supply (i.e. three-wire AC power circuit) and appropriately metered. It was noted that few companies were currently offering to install such charging points. As the pathways and pavements belonged to the County Council as the responsible authority, any companies approaching Bromsgrove District Council on this issue were referred to the County Council.

 

Some Members queried whether Council land that had not been utilised by the Council but was used without permission by private individuals could be considered for EV charging point locations. The Environmental Services Manager commented that new sites could be added to the list of locations as this was a list of initial locations that would be proposed to the contractor.

 

Members discussed the wider cost implications of electric vehicles and the viability of installing charging points in the context of ongoing rises in the cost of electricity and future implications given new emerging technologies such as hydrogen fuel.

 

RESOLVED that the update be noted.

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