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.