Purpose

As part of the Council’s
Public Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy in March 2024
Cabinet approved the commitment to consult with residents and other
partners on its EV Infrastructure programme so that a demand based approach to delivery can be achieved.
The Strategy commits the Council to: “Consulting with
different user types throughout the lifetime of this
Strategy.”
 
The Council has already created
an online survey which allows residents to share information about
the Council’s existing network of EV chargers and point out
locations of current or future demand. A decision is therefore
expected to expand this approach to include focus groups and other
engagement and collaboration activities on this topic. Consultation
activities will end by August 2026 to enable the results to inform
the next draft of the updated Strategy.

Decision

 

ROTHERHAM METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

 

RECORD OF OFFICER EXECUTIVE DECISION

 

Date of Decision:

25th March,
2025
 

Title:

Public Electric Vehicle
Charging Infrastructure consultation activities
 

Decision Maker:
(Including Job
Title)

Kevin Fisher, Assistant
Director Property & Facilities Services
 
 

Details of Specific Cabinet
Delegation
or Delegation contained in the
relevant Sub-Scheme of Delegation.

On Monday 18th March
2024, the Rotherham Public EV Strategy was approved at Cabinet. In
this Strategy, the Council commits to undertaking ongoing
consultation and engagement activities to include residents,
businesses, and commercial fleets.
 

Printed minutes Monday 18-Mar-2024 10.00 Cabinet.pdf
 

Decision:

To carry out consultation and
engagement activities to support the development of public electric
vehicle charging infrastructure throughout the Borough.
 
The purpose of the consultation
and engagement is to ensure the Council understands the needs and
views of drivers in Rotherham with regards to electric vehicle
charging infrastructure and to share information with stakeholders
regarding public electric vehicle charging infrastructure already
in the Borough.
 
Topics will include: location
of chargers; accessibility; ease of use and personal safety while
using public electric vehicle chargers.
 
The consultation and engagement
activities will include:
·      
Information sharing and education;
·      
Promotion of the permanent online feedback
form;
·      
Focus groups;
·      
Directly contacting partner organisations and
stakeholders;
·      
Engaging with residents at events;
·      
Engagement activities linked with specific proposed
sites.

 
Activities planned for 2025
include engagement activities at the Roots Carnival and Rotherham
Show as part of the Climate Change Team’s stall as well as
focus groups with residents and interested community groups across
the Borough. The initial focus groups will be held at Riverside
House in May and the dates of events at other locations around the
Borough will be confirmed following this decision.
 
The consultation will form part
of the ongoing delivery of the Council’s Public EV Strategy
which runs until March 2027. As the engagement will be used to
inform the siting of devices, interim reports will be published as
necessary to gain approvals for the next phase of infrastructure
provision. These will include an update of consultation activity
and its outcome. A full scheme report will provide feedback by the
end of March 2027.

Reasons for the
Decision:

It is important for the Council
to understand the views of residents with regards to public
electric vehicle infrastructure, to support the uptake of cleaner
modes of transport throughout Rotherham. As there are revenue costs
associated with unused devices, developing a plan based on demand
as well as land availability and grid connectivity is appropriate.
The Council has previously committed to ongoing consultation as
part of its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, which was
agreed at Cabinet in March 2024. Developing electric vehicle
charging infrastructure also supports the Council towards its net
zero carbon ambition.
 

Details of alternative
options considered and rejected:

To not carry out consultation
and engagement. This option is not recommended as this would mean
that devices are placed without having consulted interested
parties. This would increase the chance of charging infrastructure
being unsuitable or sited in the wrong places. The outcome of this
would likely be a slower transition to electric vehicles in
Rotherham and a greater number of unused devices with costs for the
Council.
 

Conflicts of interest
declared by any Cabinet Member consulted by the decision maker
which relates to the decision:

None declared.

Dispensations
Granted:
(If any)

None.

Reports or parts of
reports considered

Electric Vehicle Charging
Strategy – presented to Cabinet March 2024
 

 
I
certify that this is a true record of the executive decision to
approve the consultation activities with regards to electric
vehicle charging infrastructure. 
 

 
Signed by the Decision Maker  
Dated:         
25/03/2025
 
Name:         
Kevin Fisher 
                   
Job
Title:    Assistant Director Property &
Facilities Services