Purpose

To approve the Strategic Procurement Plan for
the provision of Electric Vehicle Chargepoints in residential
streets across the borough.

Decision

RESOLVED that Cabinet approve the
Strategic Procurement Plan (CONFIDENTIAL ANNEX A) for a 15-year
concession contract to install, manage and maintain EV charge
points with the option to extend for a further three periods of 5
years each.

Reasons for the decision

i.      
The council currently provides 52 publicly available charging
sockets, mainly in council owned car parks. This new contract aims
to provide a minimum of 400 charging sockets in residential streets
within the borough, to help meet the expected demand for charging
from EV owners without private off-street parking.
 

ii.    
The government Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has
provided £326,000 funding towards the overall costs of the
BFC scheme to help attract a supplier.
 

iii.   
The council does not have sufficient budget to purchase and manage
charge points at scale, or the necessary expertise. Therefore, a
concession contract for this provision is considered the most
appropriate solution and this approach is being adopted nationally
by local authorities.

Alternative options considered

The alternative options considered are:
 

·      
To purchase EV charging points and take the revenue from users to
pay for their on-going maintenance – this is rejected as
there is no budget available for the excessive up-front capital
costs (400 sockets could cost in the region of £4million to
purchase and install).
 

·      
Not to provide EV charging points – this was rejected as it
would harm the ability to deliver the council’s net zero aims
and objectives of the Local Transport Plan.