Following on from a recent discussion at East Dunbartonshire PNCA Committee on 30th September 2021, relating to the Progress Report on Sustainability & Climate Change Framework, Climate Change Action Plan and Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy, Elected Members sought to clarify information relating to the number and use of electric vehicles currently on the Council’s vehicle fleet. Accordingly, the purpose of this note is to provide updated information to all Members on this matter.
I would advise that the Council has operated electric vehicles for a considerable time, being one of the first to take up offer of Scottish Government Grant funding, with delivery of an initial three electric vehicles and charging infrastructure back in 2012.
Since this time the Councils Electric Vehicle fleet has grown steadily, with forty three Electric Cars now in operation across all Services. This equates to around a third of all cars on the fleet and the vehicles are utilised by staff required to undertake at work driving duties on behalf of the authority.
The number of Electric vehicles in operation is relatively small in comparison with some of the larger Councils, however East Dunbartonshire Council vehicles are allocated direct to Services including a fleet of pool vehicles to support business travel and negates the requirement for grey fleet personal vehicle use.
The Council has successfully secured Scottish Government grant funding for the vehicles over a number of years, with the vehicles operating on three year contract hire agreements through National providers.
The terms of the hire agreements do not allow for the Council to sublet these vehicles throughout the period however the full three year funding is provided at the commencement of the term.
At present the Electric vehicle fleet is deployed across the service areas as follows; Social Services, Outreach, Criminal Justice Services, Planning & Building Control, Environmental Health including Community Warden enforcement activities, Greenspace & Streetscene, Waste Management & Recycling, Fleet Management, Housing Services, Technical Services, Roads, Fleet Management and Pool Fleet operations.
Pool Fleet operations have been restricted over the pandemic period, with home working for a number of staff however wherever possible, vehicles have been reallocated to services in order to support greater demands in other areas.
Officers continue to review opportunities to increase the number of Electric vehicles on the Councils Fleet which will undoubtedly require ongoing upgrade to the charging infrastructure needed to meet future demand.