Decision details

To provide the authority to spend the £1.98m capital received from Highways England into the capital programme

To provide the authority to procure for the electric vehicle scheme for:

o  up to 75 vehicles

o  the external partner to support mobilisation of the electric van scheme

The Director of Resources and Housing submitted a report providing a summary of the progress which had been made to date on the upgrade of the Council’s fleet, which presented details of the next phase of the Council’s fleet replacement plan and the electric vehicle scheme for the city, and which also provided an overview of the roll out of the related electric infrastructure across the city.

Responding to an enquiry regarding the initiative which would enable local businesses to trial electric vehicles, it was highlighted that to ensure that the maximum number of businesses could benefit from this, an individual trial would only be for a pre-determined timeframe, currently proposed as 2 months.

Also, the Board received further information on the proposal regarding the electric retro-fitting of four refuse collection vehicles, and how such an innovative proposal would provide the Council with an interim opportunity to evaluate the performance of such vehicles on the ground, during a period when electric vehicle technology progressed rapidly.In addition, Members also received further information on how some businesses with fleets of heavy duty vehicles, such as bus companies, were approaching such matters.

Also, in acknowledging the speed at which technology in the field of ultra-low emissions vehicles was progressing, Members received further information on how the Council looked to continually review and monitor such matters in order to inform the approach that the Authority was taking. 

RESOLVED –

(a)  That it be noted that there is a separate report regarding the Revenue Budget Proposals and Capital Programme for 2019/2020 on the agenda for this meeting which seeks an injection of £1.98m into Capital Scheme 32834/HEL/000 (Minute No. 156 refers);

(b)  That the authority to spend the £1.98m capital received from Highways England into the capital programme, be approved;

(c)  That the authority to procure for the electric vehicle scheme for: (i) up to 75 vehicles; and (ii) the external partner to support mobilisation of the electric van scheme, be approved;

(d)  That the authority to procure for the electric retrofit of four of the refuse collection vehicles, using the capital funding previously allocated for CNG vehicles, be approved;

(e)  That the fleet replacement programme for 2019/20, which includes the accompanying electric infrastructure for the Council’s own fleet, be approved;

(f)  That the authority to procure for the additional electric charging infrastructure, funded through grant funding, be approved;

(g)  That the development of the Alternative Fuel Strategy, be supported.

The electric vehicle scheme involves cross-working with a number of council services who have been consulted with as the project has been developed. These include fleet services who will be involved in the maintenance and valeting of the fleets and who have also advised on appropriate vehicles to acquire and asset management who have provided advice on site requirements/ budgets for vehicle storage when they aren’t on loan to customers. The Executive Member for Resources and Sustainability has also been appraised of the scheme during its development. Communications and engagement will form a key part of the electric vehicle scheme, with events being held across the city to promote the opportunity to businesses.

Executive Member for Resources & Sustainability, Fleet Services, Insurance, asset management, Highways England