Issue - meetings

Cabinet considered a recommendation to approve the spending from the agreed £2.115m of allocated budget for 2023/24 on the purchase of 4 x 12tonne replacement refuse vehicles that had reached the end of their useful life. These purchases had been considered in line with the Council's agreed Net Zero strategy. Where possible and based on advances in technology, the council would have allowed for electric vehicles and the additional associated cost of these. However due to constraints related to the current infrastructure, vehicle range and requirements, it would not be possible to purchase these particular vehicles as diesel alternatives.

The vehicle replacement programme for this financial year assumed where possible, that electric vehicles would be acquired. This would mean purchasing tried and tested vehicles that had proven to be fit for purpose. In this particular phase this would predominantly be car derived vans and other smaller vehicles up to 7 and a half tonnes. A further, more detailed report on this would be brought back to Cabinet in due course. To support this approach, work was currently underway to establish the full extent of the infrastructure investment required to support the electrification of the Council fleet moving forward.

Councillor Rogers and Councillor Austin spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

Councillor Albon proposed, Councillor Yates seconded and Cabinet approved Option 1 of the report to purchase 4 x 12t vehicles from the allocated £2.155m from this year’s approved capital programme budget on the purchase of replacement vehicles.