Agenda item - Phase 2 - Council Sustainable Fleet Management Strategy and Fleet Replacement Programme

The report provides an update on progress against Phase One of BCP Council’s adopted Fleet Replacement Programme. Furthermore, the report seeks endorsement of Phase Two to continue to support the council wide Fleet Management De Carbonising and Replacement Programme for the next 3 years, 2025 – 2028.

Investment in vehicle replacements will ensure a pathway approach that will help to ensure that BCP Council has fit for purpose, safe, reliable, cost effective and carbon reduced vehicles, plant and associated equipment assets, in the right place at the right time and at the right cost to support the strategic, corporate and service objectives of the Council.

If approved this will continue to form the basis of an ambitious council wide Fleet Management De Carbonising Strategy that proposes to balance value for money investment in the necessary alternative fuel technology and infrastructure to support a continued increase in the number of Ultra Low Emissions Vehicles (ULEV) purchased and operated by the council and reduction in CO2 emissions of non ULEV’s to support the council’s 2030 carbon neutral declaration.

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(a) Noted the good progress made in transitioning the Council’s corporate fleet assets against challenging international marketplace conditions and balancing risk exposure on unproven new vehicle technology market entrants;

(b) Endorsed Phase Two of BCP Council’s Sustainable Fleet Replacement Plan, through an in-house management and maintenance delivery model to achieve a safe, compliant, ultra-low emission fleet and future key infrastructure decisions required that will determine its direction and success; and

(c) Acknowledged that without significant investment in suitable premisses and area wide utilities that will deliver the required infrastructure to support the continued modernisation and electric decarbonisation of the BCP fleet in future Phase 3 2028 – 2030, future green fleet transition will be limited unless progress in alternative fuel technologies are forthcoming especially heavy goods vehicles.

RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(d) Approve the phase two fleet replacement programme of £19.857m over 3 years;

(e) Approve the use of £18.692m new prudential borrowing for the Fleet Replacement Plan and the capital investment necessary in increasing associated EV charging infrastructure recognising the impact of this on the annual revenue budget requirement; and

(f) Approve use of capital receipts from the sales of vehicles of £1.165m to fund part of the phase 2 fleet replacement plan.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Climate Response, Environment and Energy

Reason

The proposed replacement and management plan is a continuation of the adopted Sustainable Fleet Strategy that provided Capital fleet funding and governance for years 2021 – 2024 building on the existing framework towards achieving a sustainable fleet for BCP Council and a commitment towards its ambition of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

Failure to approve the fleet replacement plan places the authority at risk as vehicles reach end of life and require increased maintenance, which impacts on services risking repeated statutory service failure, associated reputational damage, increased revenue budget pressure and potential for breach(es) of Operator Licence compliance.

The Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'E' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the report provided an update on progress against Phase One of BCP Council’s adopted Fleet Replacement Programme. Furthermore, the report seeks endorsement of Phase Two to continue to support the council wide Fleet Management De Carbonising and Replacement Programme for the next 3 years, 2025 – 2028.

Cabinet was informed that investment in vehicle replacements will ensure a pathway approach that will help to ensure that BCP Council has fit for purpose, safe, reliable, cost effective and carbon reduced vehicles, plant and associated equipment assets, in the right place at the right time and at the right cost to support the strategic, corporate and service objectives of the Council.

In relation to this Cabinet was advised that if approved this will continue to form the basis of an ambitious council wide Fleet Management De Carbonising Strategy that proposes to balance value for money investment in the necessary alternative fuel technology and infrastructure to support a continued increase in the number of Ultra Low Emissions Vehicles (ULEV) purchased and operated by the council and reduction in CO2 emissions of non ULEV’s to support the council’s 2030 carbon neutral declaration.