Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Place Commissioned Services.

That Cabinet agreed;

(a)           To begin the procurement procedure as described in the report to Cabinet of 9 July 2024.

(b)           That the further step of making any contract award be delegated to the Cabinet member for Place Commissioned Services in consultation with the Interim Lead for Place and having regard to the recommendations of the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Programme Board chaired by the Head of Dorset Highways.  

Reason for the decision

Cabinet was required to approve all key decisions with financial consequences of £500k or more.

The Leader of the Council presented a report on a joint venture with BCP Council for a planned procurement activity for the installation and operation of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure.

There was no proposed cost to Dorset Council as the procurement was conditional on a £2.49 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding award by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles.

In response to a question around rural access to electric vehicle charging, the Transport Planning Projects Team Manager confirmed that a programme of work was on-going for local villages to apply for on-street charging. It was also confirmed that local councillors would be consulted on the placement of these on-street residential charging sites.

The Transport Planning Projects Team Manager confirmed that BCP would lead on the procurement, but Dorset Council officers would be fully involved in the process. Regarding electricity capacity concerns, the Transport Planning Project Team Manager confirmed that officers worked closely with local network providers who had given assurance that in terms of the plans being put forward, there was enough grid capacity for these chargers.

It was proposed by Cllr N Ireland seconded by Cllr S Robinson

Decision

That Cabinet agreed;

(a)           To begin the procurement procedure as described in the report to Cabinet of 9 July 2024.

(b)           That the further step of making any contract award be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Place Commissioned Services in consultation with the Interim Lead for Place and having regard to the recommendations of the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Programme Board chaired by the Head of Dorset Highways. 

Reason for the decision

Cabinet was required to approve all key decisions with financial consequences of £500k or more.