Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director – Highways and Capital Projects

The Assistant Director – Highways and Capital Projects submitted a report (previously circulated) updating Members on electric vehicle (EV) charging following on from the adoption of the Darlington Electric Vehicle Charging Policy in February 2025.

It was reported that the Council’s approach to electric vehicle charging is to provide and encourage the use of shared public facilities, with provision available in Council owned car parks; that the next phase is to create commercially operated charging hubs in community locations; and that trials are being undertaken in the Tees Valley and the UK in the development of cross pavement charging solutions.

Reference was made to the UK’s EV policy and Government investment in charging infrastructure; that the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) aims to implement a comprehensive network of EV charging points in order to meet the TVCA vision as set out in the Strategic Transport Plan (STP); and the EV Infrastructure Delivery Plan sets out how the TVCA will deliver the objectives set out in the STP in relation to EV charging infrastructure.

The submitted report stated that as of October 2025, it is estimated there are 495 publicly accessible EV charge point locations in Tees Valley, consisting of 370 owned by private entities and 125 public charge points owned by TVCA; that a project for the roll out of charging points in Council owned car parks is complete, with 58 charge points installed; and TVCA issued a tender specification in early 2026, for a charge point operator to deliver and operate on-street charge points across the Tees Valley area.

The report provided details of Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding, with Members noting that the TVCA received an allocation of £6.596M; in order to satisfy the scope and conditions of the LEVI fund, the TVCA propose to procure a single Concessionaire on behalf of the five local authorities, to deliver and operate on-street charge points across the Tees Valley. Members were informed that the Concessionaire will finance, install, own, maintain and operate the on-street charging infrastructure, with 80 per cent of the agreed programme to be delivered within the first five years of the contract.

The cross-pavement solutions were outlined; details were provided of the trials being undertaken across the Tees Valley; and the types of ownership model, installation requirements and maintenance and associated standards were outlined. Members were informed of an EV Pavement Channels grant that had been announced by the Government in August 2025 to support local authorities to install cross-pavement channels and support residents without off-street parking to charge their EV’s at home.  The TVCA’s application for the grant was successful, with an award of £479k. Members noted the next steps.

Discussion ensued regarding the funding arrangements. Members noted that the TVCA have oversight of the LEVI capital funding allocation; that work had been undertaken to identify locations for on-street charging points across the Tees Valley, with a good coverage identified in Darlington, and the list of locations could be shared following the completion of the tender exercise.

Members raised concerns regarding the demand for chargers and ongoing costs for the Council; Members were assured that maintenance and operating costs for the on-street charging infrastructure was being covered by a concessionaire that has been proposed on behalf of the five tees valley authorities.

Members discussed the limitations of cross paving channels and the use of cable mats, with Officers advising that the Council will continue to monitor emerging guidance and solutions on cross-pavement EV charging and learn best practice from trials being undertaken.

RESOLVED – (a) That the contents of the report be noted.

(b) That a future review of the Electric Vehicle Charging policy be presented to Members of this Committee in March 2027.