Issue - meetings

Recommendations:  The Executive are asked to approve:

i.     The proposed public consultation draft of the Electric Vehicle (EV) Public Charging infrastructure Rollout Strategy for North Yorkshire.

ii.    The launch of a public consultation on the priority actions and measures contained in the strategy.

Considered: A report of the Corporate Director – Business and Environmental Services providing an update on the development of an Electric Vehicle (EV) Public Charging Infrastructure Rollout Strategy for North Yorkshire, and seeking approval to launch a public consultation regarding the proposed Strategy.

County Councillor Keane Duncan introduced the report and drew attention to the key issues affecting North Yorkshire, as outlined in paragraph 4.1 of the report.   He noted North Yorkshire had received more funding than other areas as 3000 charging points were required, with over half to be delivered by the public sector.

County Councillor Paul Haslam welcomed the report and drew attention to the critical success factor of prioritising site selection where EVCPs should be delivered.  He suggested that gender was an important issue that had not been factored in, and  expressed some concern over the questionnaire suggesting it would be hard to analyse.

Barrie Mason, Assistant Director for Highways & Transportation confirmed the questionnaire had not been piloted but was only the start of an ongoing consultation process.  He also confirmed that where locations were particularly problematic, other charging solutions would be considered e.g. hydro-electric power.

County Councillor Gareth Dadd urged people to recognise the full costs involved in providing the right level of coverage for a county as large and rural as North Yorkshire.  In response, County Councillor Keane Duncan reassured Members that the cost would be covered by central government funding.  He also reiterated the LEP was seeking to achieve carbon negativity by 2040, and accepted that whilst the Council could not do everything, it still had a significant a part to play.

County Councillor Greg White acknowledged the proposed initiatives were not scalable at the price currently being charged.  He also drew attention to another key Government target - to increase bus travel, which he did not believe was workable in North Yorkshire.

Resolved – That:

i.     The proposed public consultation draft of the Electric Vehicle (EV) Public Charging Infrastructure Rollout Strategy for North Yorkshire, be approved.

ii.    A public consultation on the priority actions and measures contained in the strategy be launched.