Issue - meetings

Decision:

1.     That the programme of replacement vehicles for 2024-25 be approved, and that the sum of £2.15m be moved from the provisional capital programme to the approved capital programme.

2.     That authority be delegated to the Executive Head of Environmental Services to carry out a compliant procurement process, award the contracts to the successful tenderers, and, in consultation with the Executive Head of Legal & Democratic Services and the Lead Councillor, enter into the relevant contracts.

Reason:

To allow for the replacement of the waste and garden waste vehicles in 2024.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

To further delay replacement or further investigate viable alternative propulsion, such as EV or hydrogen; however, this would result in delays and increased service reliability risks.

Any conflicts of interest declared:

None.

The Executive considered a report setting out the anticipated vehicle replacements for 2024/25.

It was proposed that in consideration of the Council’s financial position only the waste vehicle fleet should be replaced at this point in time, which was 11 vehicles in total including the entire garden waste fleet.  The existing waste vehicles were of an age and use where they were presenting increasing reliability issues which in turn would affect service quality and cost and were in need of replacement at the earliest opportunity in 2024.

The new vehicles would be a ‘like for like’ replacement. Electric Vehicle (EV) dustcarts had been considered but were still an emerging technology which suggested service and cost risks. Additionally, the Council did not currently have the infrastructure to support an EV fleet without significant investment in the depot was planned to be closed within a year of the vehicles arriving. Finally, the capital cost of EV vehicles was approximately twice that of standard vehicles, approximately £160,000 per vehicle more expensive on an 8 year life than the equivalent diesel vehicle, after taking into account potential operating savings. Given the fluctuations in interest rates currently, it was argued that borrowing to fund the extra expenditure required to provide an EV fleet would not be prudent.  It was hoped that in the future when economic and financial matters were stable, the council would look again at running an EV fleet. Hydrogen fuel cell technology was being increasingly used within buses but was further behind EV for other uses such as dustcarts and may be an option to consider in the future.

The Executive noted that waste household waste disposal was a statutory obligation for the council and there was a duty to maintain a serviceable fleet at best value to residents. Consequently, the Executive,

RESOLVED:

1.     That the programme of replacement vehicles for 2024-25 be approved, and that the sum of £2.15m be moved from the provisional capital programme to the approved capital programme.

2.     That authority be delegated to the Executive Head of Environmental Services to carry out a compliant procurement process, award the contracts to the successful tenderers, and, in consultation with the Executive Head of Legal & Democratic Services and the Lead Councillor, enter into the relevant contracts.

Reason:

To allow for the replacement of the waste and garden waste vehicles in 2024.