Issue - meetings

[To approve adoption of the Black Country Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle Strategy]

1.      That the final draft of the ‘Black Country Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle Strategy’ including the 2021 Advisory Note be approved.

2.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change and the Leader of the Council in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment and the Director of Finance to:

a.      Accept the grant funding from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and enter into the grant funding agreement if the On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) bid is successful.

b.      Create the appropriate supplementary budgets.

c.      Approve future delivery of chargepoint infrastructure in line with the targets identified in the Black Country Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) Strategy

3.      That it be noted that the strategy was subject to a public consultation in August-October 2020, receiving 851 responses, with less than 20% believing the infrastructure targets were too ambitious, and less than 30% believing the emissions targets were too ambitious (35% of responses viewed the emissions targets as not being ambitious enough).

4.      That it be noted that any installations would be subject to public consultation with residents and business in the immediate vicinity of each location.

5.      That it be noted that the ORCS bid is due for submission to OZEV at the end of July 2021, and they predict a six-week turnaround for responses.

The intention to make a key decision on the report ‘Adoption of Black Country Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle Strategy’ at the meeting was not published in advance as required by the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.  The decision was urgent and could not be reasonably delayed for the following reasons:

·       The report was omitted from the Forward Plan due to a technical error. The report is related to a funding bid due for submission at the end of July, and as such cannot be delayed until the next Cabinet.

In light of the above, consent had been obtained for the key decision to be made at the meeting under the General Exception provisions.

Councillor Steve Evans presented for adoption, the Black Country Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) Strategy.  The report and implementation plan set out a range of targets for infrastructure and suggested policy changes to support and accelerate the electrification of the vehicle parc in the Black Country, in order to reduce the transport derived C02e emissions for the region. Delegated authority was also requested to accept grant funding from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, to enter into grant funding agreements and to establish appropriate supplementary budgets, if an On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme bid is successful.  The bid aimed to deliver the installation of 50 chargepoint sites across the city.

Resolved:

1.    That the final draft of the ‘Black Country Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle Strategy’ including the 2021 Advisory Note be approved.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change and the Leader of the Council in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment and the Director of Finance to:

a.      Accept the grant funding from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and enter into the grant funding agreement if the On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) bid is successful.

b.      Create the appropriate supplementary budgets.

c.      Approve future delivery of chargepoint infrastructure in line with the targets identified in the Black Country Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) Strategy

3.    That it be noted that the strategy was subject to a public consultation in August-October 2020, receiving 851 responses, with less than 20% believing the infrastructure targets were too ambitious, and less than 30% believing the emissions targets were too ambitious (35% of responses viewed the emissions targets as not being ambitious enough).

4.    That it be noted that any installations would be subject to public consultation with residents and business in the immediate vicinity of each location.

5.    That it be noted that the ORCS bid is due for submission to OZEV at the end of July 2021, and they predict a six-week turnaround for responses.