Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/24/1) seeking approval for Devon’s Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy, attached.

An Impact Assessment has been prepared for Members at the meeting, is attached and available at - https://www.devon.gov.uk/impact/devon-electric-vehicle-charging-strategy-impact-assessment-november-2022/

The Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee had considered this matter at its meeting on 16th November 2023 and had RESOLVED (minute 137) that the Strategy, as set out in Appendix 1 to Report (CET/23/85) be supported and commended to Cabinet.

RESOLVED

(a) that the adoption of the Devon Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy, provided in Appendix I of the Report, be approved; and

(b) that the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport be given delegated authority, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highway Management and the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport to make minor amendments to the Strategy.

(Councillors Biederman, Dewhirst and Whitton attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/24/1) which sought approval for Devon’s Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy, circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

The Cabinet noted that the Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee had considered this matter at its meeting on 16th November 2023 and had RESOLVED (minute 137) that the Strategy, as set out in Appendix 1 to Report (CET/23/85) be supported and commended to Cabinet. The Committee had further questioned whether the Strategy built on lessons learnt from the Rapid Charging Devon project and whether the national grid had capacity to accommodate the ambitions of the Strategy and Officers were able to provide assurance that both these issues had been addressed in the Strategy.

The Strategy was contained in Appendix I to the Report. In line with the climate emergency and the publication of theDevonCarbon Plan, the decarbonisation of on-roadtransportation was a crucial part. However, it was recognised that as a rural County,manyDevonresidents and businesses continued to rely on carsand vansfor daily needs. The Strategy forecasted that by 2033,the number ofelectricvehicles in Devon was expectedtoexceed the number of petrol/diesel vehicles for thefirst time, yet a key barrier was the availabilityof suitablecharginginfrastructure.

The Strategy set out an evidence-based approach to rolling out charging infrastructure across the County and removing some of the barriers that were hindering the uptake of electric vehicles.

A summary of the aims and recommendations of the Devon Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy were set out in the covering report (with the full Strategy at Appendix 1).

The Devon Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy aimed to:

·       Reduce carbon emissions in Devon;

·       Accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles in Devon, within the context of an overall shift away from the use of the private car;

·       Help ensure that the transition to electric vehicles was accessible for all and equitable;

·       Maximise the social value and community benefits associated with the transition to electric vehicles;

·       Maximise the contribution electric vehicles could make to the local economy, including through increased tourism;

·       Contribution to the Council’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality for its own operations by 2030.

These aims strongly alignedwith the ambitions of Devon County Council’s Strategic Planinresponding totheclimate emergencyandthe objectives of the Devon Carbon Plan.

The Strategy also outlined 12 recommendations enabling it to deliver against its aims such as accelerating chargepoint deployment to promote electric vehicle uptake and focussing on residential charging. Also, to follow best practice design principles and leverage private sector funding but retain control through a concessionary approach, seek national funding to support chargepoint aspirations, leverage scale through Devon-wide funding applications and procurement, lead on local district  ...  view the full minutes text for item 455