Council set to invest £1.2m in new EV charging points on housing estates

The new network will provide residents “with safe, convenient, reliable and affordable access to electric vehicle charging”, reports Joe Ives, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to create a “comprehensive network” of electric vehicle (EV) charging points across Enfield Council’s housing estates are being taken forward.

The major EV installation project was signed off last week by Maria Alexandrou, the council’s cabinet member for environment.

New charging points are now set to be installed at car parks on council-owned estates.

According to a council report, the project “will deliver a comprehensive network of EV charging points” across housing estate car parks, “providing residents with safe, convenient, reliable and affordable access to electric vehicle charging”.

The programme is expected to be delivered over four years with an initial focus on “priority locations”.

The council’s definition of ‘priority’ will be informed by “resident demand, site suitability, and opportunities to co-ordinate delivery with other estate improvement projects”.

This tactic, officers say, is aimed at “maximising value for money and minimising disruption to residents”.

The local authority argues the programme will support its Climate Action Plan 2024, which has a “commitment” for the council to become carbon neutral by 2030 and to “support a carbon neutral borough by 2040”.

The council states: “The programme will support the transition to low-emission transport, future-proof estate infrastructure, and ensure equitable charging provision across the borough in response to growing resident demand.”

The four-year contract for the supply, installation, maintenance and monitoring of the scheme is set to cost £1.2million. A further £122,000 is earmarked for a “software management platform” for the vehicle-charging service.

Around £500,000 of the programme’s budget will be covered by the government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, aimed at helping local authorities deliver and maintain EV infrastructure.

Another £500,000 will be supplied through the council’s housing budget. Any “variance” in the final cost of the scheme, the local authority says, “will be met through programme revenues generated during the contract term”.

After the first year of the contract, the council hopes the scheme will cover its own costs, with the revenue generated from the charging facilities used to fund ongoing servicing, maintenance, monitoring and “back-office costs”.

One “potential financial risk” identified by council officers is the fact that “contracted operational costs” will have to be paid for “regardless of programme performance and whether forecast revenue is achieved”.

Energy costs, however, “are excluded from the risk” as they should only be incurred when the EV chargers are used.

In a recently-published decision notice, the local authority said: “The programme will support the transition to low-emission transport, future-proof estate infrastructure, and ensure equitable charging provision across the borough in response to growing resident demand.”

Richard Eason, the council’s director of transport, climate and place, will shortly be given the green light to begin procurement for the new scheme provided Cllr Alexandrou’s decision is not ‘called in’ by councillors for further scrutiny beforehand.

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