Issue - meetings

Resolved

(1)           That the exempt appendix be noted.

Resolved

(1)           That the exempt appendix be noted.

Report of Assistant Director Environmental Services

Purpose of report

This report is to update members on material changes to the way in which the Park and Charge Oxfordshire (electric vehicle charging) project will henceforth be delivered following discussion with the preferred charge point operator; to seek approval of the terms for rolling out charge point services within designated council car parks in the Cherwell district; and to request approval for the re-alignment of the charge point contract relating to the pilot Bicester Cattlemarket Car Park with the revised and agreed heads of terms for the remaining in-scope car parks.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1   To note the current progress on, and changes made to, the delivery process on the park and charge project since the last report to the Executive on 2 November 2020.

1.2    To approve the terms for rolling out charge point services within designated council car parks in the Cherwell district as set out in exempt Appendix 1.

1.3    To approve the re-alignment of the charge point contract relating to the pilot Bicester Cattlemarket Car Park with the terms set out in exempt Appendix 1.

Resolved

(1)          That the current progress on, and changes made to, the delivery process on the park and charge project since the last report to the Executive on 2 November 2020 be noted.

(2)          That the terms for rolling out charge point services within designated council car parks in the Cherwell district as set out in the exempt Annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book - exempt Appendix 1 to the report) be approved.

(3)          That the re-alignment of the charge point contract relating to the pilot Bicester Cattlemarket Car Park with the terms as set out in the exempt Annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book - exempt Appendix 1 to the report) be approved.

The Assistant Director Environmental Services submitted a report which  updated Members on material changes to the way in which the Park and Charge Oxfordshire (electric vehicle charging) project would henceforth be delivered following discussion with the preferred charge point operator. The report sought approval of the terms for rolling out charge point services within designated council car parks in the Cherwell district and requested approval for the re-alignment of the charge point contract relating to the pilot Bicester Cattlemarket Car Park with the revised and agreed heads of terms for the remaining in-scope car parks.

Resolved

(1)          That the current progress on, and changes made to, the delivery process on the park and charge project since the last report to the Executive on 2 November 2020 be noted.

(2)          That the terms for rolling out charge point services within designated council car parks in the Cherwell district as set out in the exempt Annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

(3)          That the re-alignment of the charge point contract relating to the pilot Bicester Cattlemarket Car Park with the terms as set out in the exempt Annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

Reasons

The Park and Charge project offers the Council an investment via private capital to develop needed EV charging infrastructure within the Council’s car parks for predominantly residents who have no off-road parking, but also for visitors and commuters. The pilot car park in Bicester is already showing usage above initial forecasts, highlighting the underlying needs.

Alternative options

Option 1: To not proceed with the revised terms across the remainder of the council’s in-scope car parks.  This option has been rejected on the grounds that it would defeat the original ambitions underpinning the project as described in section 2 of this report.

Option 2: To roll the legal structure agreed for the pilot project across the remainder of the council’s in-scope car parks.  This has been rejected on the grounds that the terms for the pilot project were predicated on SSE participation, which is no longer viable, and also because of the incompatibility between the pilot terms and the terms EZ-Charge have now agreed with the various participating councils for roll out across the county (including officers from Cherwell District Council for the remainder of the council’s car parks).