Agenda item

Collaboration with West Sussex County Council on Procurement of a Countywide Electric Vehicle Charging Points Network

To consider a report from the Director for Digital & Resources, a copy is attached as item 7.

Minutes:

Before the Committee was a report by the Director for Digital & Resources, copies of which had been circulated to all Members and a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as Item 7.

 

Ruth O’Brien, West Sussex County Council Sustainability Team, was in attendance at the meeting during the consideration of this item.   

 

In December 2019, West Sussex County Council (WSCC) adopted their Electric Vehicle (EV) Strategy setting out an ambitious vision for EV take up across the county. 

 

The Strategy set out the intention to procure a supplier to deliver, on a concessionary basis, one consistent, affordable, easy to use, reliable, widely accessible and recognisable charging network across the county. The aim was to provide renewable energy charging primarily for those residents who did not have access to off road parking and would be unable to switch to EV without public charging.

 

Adur & Worthing Councils, along with the other Districts and Boroughs across West Sussex, had been invited to collaborate with WSCC on this scheme to develop an extensive county-wide network, by nominating and providing potential sites in council ownership to be part of the EV charging network.

 

The WSCC EV network solution would improve and expand significantly the provision of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the Borough and District to meet existing and future demand and encourage the shift away from petrol and diesel vehicles.

 

Subject to Member approval, Adur & Worthing Councils (A&WCs) participation in the procurement of an EV network would assist in meeting council commitments to reduce transport carbon emissions, increase EV charging infrastructure and improve air quality, reducing the resources required to achieve these ends. 

 

A Member questioned whether charging points in residential areas would be included in the network. Officers advised that WSCC would explore opportunities for street locations when designing the network plan. 

 

The Committee highlighted the need for competitive charging rates and sought clarification regarding the number of partners in the network.  

 

The recommendations in the report were proposed by Councillor Daniel Humphreys, seconded by Councillor Neil Parkin and unanimously agreed by the Committee.

 

Decision:  

 

The Joint Strategic Committee:-

 

        i.         noted the work undertaken by Officers with WSCC to date, in developing a potential site list in the Adur and Worthing areas for the installation of EV points, and authorises the Councils to enter into an Inter-Authority Agreement with West Sussex County Council to install electric vehicle charging points across the county of West Sussex, on Council owned property; and

 

       ii.         delegated authority to the Director for Digital and Resources in consultation with the Leaders, to commit Adur District Council and Worthing Borough Council to a joint procurement for a concessionaire to deliver a rapid and cash payment free roll out of an extensive EV charging network across Worthing Borough and Adur District and to enter into a contractual arrangement with the preferred concessionaire as a result of the WSCC procurement process and;

 

      iii.         delegated authority to the Director for Digital and Resources in consultation with the Leaders, to enter into a contract and required leases with the successful concessionaire to enable delivery of the charging points and to commit such non cash resources by the Councils as shall reasonably be required by WSCC from time to time under the Inter Authority Agreement.

 

Call In: 

 

The call-in deadline for this decision will be 5.00pm on 19 June 2020.

 

Supporting documents: