Issue - meetings

Arising from a report of the Group Manager for Corporate Property and Commercial Assets, the Environment Policy Development Group has recommended that the Council considers the provision of home electric car charging points in all new developments across the district for all new properties.

Arising from a *report of the Group Manager for Corporate Property and Commercial Assets, the Environment Policy Development Group had recommended that the Council considers the provision of home electric car charging points in all new developments across the district for all new properties.

The Cabinet Member for Housing outlined the contents of the report stating that the report detailed the background in terms of Central Government Policy and incentives for Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs) and the types of ULEVs available and targets to 2040. He added that the majority of ULEV car owners recharge their vehicles at their homes overnight and do not make use of public recharging points.  Research showed that most of the journeys taken were for short distances within the range of a single charge for the vehicle.  There were currently 3 main charging options available and the Council had a rapid charging system at the 3 leisure centres in Mid Devon; site performance statistics were available in the report.

RESOLVED that the recommendation of the PDG be acknowledged and that the Head of Planning, Economy and Regeneration be requested to produce a report outlining how the provision of home electric car charging points in all new developments across the district for all new properties may be achieved through the planning policy process.

(Proposed by Cllr R L Stanley and seconded by Cllr R J Chesterton)

Note: *Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.

To receive a report from the Group Manager for Corporate Property and Commercial Assets providing members with an overview of the progress installing electric charge points in the District for electric/hybrid vehicles and to update members on the performance of electric chargers installed at our leisure centres.

The Group had before it a *report of The Group Manager for Corporate Property and Commercial Assets confirming the increased usage of car changing points across the district. He explained that officers were in discussions with the current supplier regarding the possibility of installing further charging points in the future but that would be dependent on the financial liability for the company.

There was then a general discussion on where the current points were situated and members felt that the current locations had not been widely advertised.

The Group Manager for Corporate Property and Commercial Assets explained that the location of the points was dependant on a higher voltage power supply being installed as the points were rapid chargers and required a higher voltage than normal appliances. This restricted where the points could be placed but they were working with the supplier on possible additional locations. He confirmed that he would arrange with the Communications team to advertise the location of the charging points and provide a link to the national register at https://www.zap-map.com/

Members agreed that they would like to see a co-ordinated approach to putting additional charging points across the district and the Group Manager for Corporate Property and Commercial Assets confirmed that discussions with the current supplier were ongoing.

Members NOTED the content of the report and recommended that officers continued with the review of the provision of electric car charging facilities in light of growing popularity of ULEVS (Ultra Low Emission Vehicles).

Members then discussed the current home and work charge schemes and questioned if the Council were currently encouraging developers to install home electric car charging points in new build properties. They discussed the future Government target of banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2040 and that the Council would need to consider this as part of future planning policy for new developments.

The Group then RECOMMENDED to Cabinet that the Council considers the provision of home electric car charging points in all new developments across the district for all new properties.

(Proposed by Cllr B Evans and Seconded by Cllr D J Knowles)

Members requested that the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration attend a future meeting of the Group to update them on progress of the recommendation.

Note: *Report previously circulated and attached to the minutes.