Agenda item

Following scrutiny, members noted the report

The Head of Engineering and Transport, informed members that the report was withdrawn from Cabinet due to financial impacts outlined in paragraph 18. Officers identified shortfalls in highways and drainage renewal and ongoing revenue pressures, including parks and neighbourhood services. Members were advised that to provide a holistic report, officers will cover additional areas.

 

Members were advised that a high-level costed model up to 2032 has been created, with an 8 to 10-year renewal model intended to inform the medium-term financial plan. Officers will have refined the next three years of costings to inform the forward investment necessary. and due to market volatility and new vehicles. The high-level 10-year cost will change, and officers can't fine-tune costs over the ten-year period due to market volatility for the next three years, which is why behind the rationale for withdrawing the report at this time. The report was withdrawn.

 

Officers are willing to discuss the report further, and the committee will see an updated report in due course.

 

The chair thanked officers for the introduction and the additional details, which members appreciated. The chair emphasised the importance of scrutinising the report due to the specific and detailed information about the vehicles considered in it and in understanding why certain replacements have been chosen or not chosen.

 

Members asked about aligning vehicle replacements with the government's timeline to stop producing diesel and petrol vehicles by 2035. They asked if the council are considering this timeline to ensure it doesn’t invest in vehicles that will soon be outdated or non-compliant?

 

Officers aim to align with Welsh Government targets. In England, targets have been extended to 2035 and beyond. In Wales, the transition to zero-emission vehicles is set for 2030, with a 2025 target for small and light vans, which the council is on track to meet.

 

Members were informed that officers face challenges with the renewals program, primarily replacing vehicles are replaced based on battery warranties, which vary from five to eight years. Over time, vehicle purchasing or leasing methods may change, including leasing and replacement of batteries.

 

Fleet purchases include sweepers, replaced every five years due to harsh use and reliability issues with electric models. Refuse and recycling vehicles are replaced every seven years, or eight years if electric, aligning with battery warranties. Other vehicles are replaced every nine years.

 

Until 2014, all vehicles were replaced every seven years. Financial pressures led to extending this to nine years, recognising increased maintenance and repairs as vehicles age.

 

Members were pleased to see the consideration of timelines and want to avoid purchasing or leasing vehicles that may go out of service before their expected lifespan.

 

Officers noted the Welsh Government's commitment to meeting targets, with a strong push towards zero-emission vehicles. They felt a key aspect is how quickly the council can adopt hydrogen fuelling infrastructure and hydrogen vehicles for larger HGVs like refuse freighters.

 

The chair asked if officers have noticed any knock-on benefits from transitioning to electric vehicles locally, such as saving money on fuel, or if the cost of charging has been challenging.

 

The chair asked if there is still a local rationale for transitioning from an operational cost perspective.

 

Officers explained that, despite significant investment in charging infrastructure, there are clear fuel cost savings with electric vehicles. However, these savings are less than initially expected due to rising electric costs. As electric costs decrease compared to fuel, significant savings are anticipated.

 

For lighter vans, the vehicle cost has dropped significantly, from around £28,000 to approximately £21,000, this is due to a weak residual market for electric vans.

 

Officers believe the council will struggle to recover the cost difference between diesel and electric for heavier fleet vehicles due to their high battery power requirements. However, the council can utilise a large solar array site for refuse recycling vehicles at the quays Fabian Way transfer station, reducing costs further.

 

Officers believe that as the market improves, prices will decrease, and they have already observed a drop in heavy goods prices. Officers can conduct a cost analysis.

 

The chair felt that it is important to address these issues from a practical standpoint, beyond political and cultural debates about net zero and decarbonization. He felt it was useful to highlight operational savings and benefits to the public, such as improved local air quality. He gave the example of recycling vehicles, which operate throughout the county daily and contribute positively to these impacts.

 

The chair felt that it would be interested to get a report to understand what the positive benefits have been of this programme other than contributing to the wider decarbonisation agenda.

 

The chair felt it would be useful for the council to conduct an exercise to highlight the benefits of new electric vehicles. He noted that residents have commented on the council's investment in these vehicles, particularly light vans, which are now cheaper, quieter, less polluting, and cost-effective. Additionally, installing solar arrays, offers great opportunities to offset costs.

 

He felt that it was a piece of work that might be useful to be done from a from a communications point of view explaining to a residence the rationale on making some of the decisions.

 

Members asked about challenges in replacing some vehicles, particularly sweepers, due to reliability and range issues. They asked how the Council manages vehicles with lower ranges given Neath Port Talbot's geographic challenges, with valley communities and significant distances from depots.

 

Officers were asked if investment in charging infrastructure in outlying communities has been done and if electric vehicles are being integrated into current practices or if the council is considering altering practices to accommodate these vehicles.

 

Members were informed that pilots and trials of various vehicles have highlighted range and reliability issues.

 

The council has depot charge points at three locations: Taweower Terrace (covering the Swansea Valley), large EV infrastructure at the Quays, and significant EV infrastructure at the recycling centre on Fabian Way. These facilities provide good charging capabilities, including rapid charging that can charge vehicles up to 80% in 20 - 30 minutes.

 

As part of a corporate strategy, officers are reviewing the location of key hubs around the county and considering EV infrastructure at those hubs. This would allow all council staff, including teachers and social workers, to charge vehicles locally, potentially at schools. Back-office software would enable staff to scan a fob for access with the aim to provide flexibility for all fleet users across the authority.

 

Officers noted that the payload on Medium/Heavy vans, including tools and equipment carried by building services and street care operatives like plumbing and electrical teams, impacts vehicle range.

 

Most challenges are related to charging infrastructure compatibility with vehicles. Officers explained that the current 16-tonne sweeper covers the range and works well. However, it sometimes stops charging overnight, leaving it unusable in the morning. Officers are working through the challenges.

 

Officers confirmed that Swansea Council has similar issues with pedestrian sweepers, which have shorter ranges and likely need community charging infrastructure. The authority is awaiting a trial on one of these sweepers before purchasing, to test its range in the community. For heavier vehicles and light vans, range isn't much of an issue within the authority.

 

Jeremy Hurley Cabinet member explained that the CJC Energy subcommittee is considering cross-authority collaboration. The NHS, Fire, and Police share facilities using similar software systems noting that there are more practical options for charging that can be reimbursed.

 

Members requested that if this report returns to the committee, officers should include an extra column on the paperwork indicating the expected lifespan of the vehicles. Officers confirmed that they can add an extra column as well as the wider assessment on the 10-year plan and a document that will show the financial workings that takes place to do those predictive costs.

 

Following scrutiny, members noted the report