Report of the Senior Democratic Services Officer

Cabinet received a report of the Senior Democratic Services Officer including the Electric Vehicles Task Group’s final report.

Councillor Stotesbury introduced the report.  He thanked Councillor Feldman and the other task group members for their work on this review and the rapid response and the officers who had supported the work.  He had found this to be a positive scrutiny.  Members had been provided with information about the work that had already taken place and the council’s direction of travel.  He noted that Watford was the top local authority area in Hertfordshire for electric vehicle ownership.  He endorsed each of the task group’s recommendations, particularly the development of an Electric Vehicle Strategy for Watford.

Councillor Feldman, as chair of the task group was invited to speak.  Councillor Feldman stated that the task group had been completed very rapidly.  It was recognised that there was still work to be done.  It linked to the Strategic Transport Strategy which was to follow later in the agenda.  As the recommendations showed communications with residents was considered important and the council needed to improve on this work.  It was noted that the council was not the highways authority and it was essential to find ways of working with the county council on charging infrastructure, for example lamppost charging points being made available.

Councillor Bell thanked the task group for their work.  He agreed that communications were important and that residents were included in the process, particularly those areas with controlled parking zones.  He was aware that in some roads parking bays had been lost to enable charging points to be installed. 

Councillor Stotesbury noted the comments about the loss of parking bays and explained that recent installations had not restricted the parking to those charging vehicles, the bays were available to others with the appropriate parking permit.  There were many roads in Watford where properties did not have off-street parking and it was necessary to find ways that those residents were able to charge their electric vehicles on the street.  He acknowledged the comments about communications.  He informed members that one of the next public Sustainability Forums would have the theme of electric vehicles.

The Mayor agreed about on street charging points and referred to the fourth recommendation.  There was a need for more lamppost charging points.  It was noticeable that the county council had taken a different approach.

Councillor Feldman finished by adding that it was necessary to work closely with the county council.  If residents required charging points perhaps they could submit requests, as funding had to be applied for to cover the cost of installation.  The Electric Vehicle Strategy should tie in the Sustainable Transport Strategy.

RESOLVED –

that Cabinet approves the task group’s recommendations:

1.         To extend and develop the communications around electric vehicles, including the development of an information hub, with a focus on preparing residents for the shift to electric vehicles and enabling access to clear information for users.

2.         In order to help the council make the case for funding and to increase understanding of the interest in different areas, an online form should be developed to enable residents to make an expression of interest for a charging unit in their neighbourhood.

3.         For the public Sustainability Forum to hold a session discussing electric vehicles with residents.

4.         To continue to work collaboratively with Hertfordshire County Council to increase the charging infrastructure in Watford and to make the case to reinstate the use of lamp columns for that purpose as well as other public highway land.

5.         To develop an Electric Vehicle Strategy for Watford.

6.         To make further consideration about how the taxi fleet can be enabled to transition to more electric vehicles.