Tavistock delays £150k EV plan amid fears spending may seem ‘frivolous’

A £150,000 plan to install electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities at West Devon Borough Council’s Kilworthy Park offices in Tavistock, which would also be available to the public, has been put on hold while alternative funding sources are explored.

The bulk of the funding was due to come from the council’s earmarked reserves, but council leader Cllr Mandy Ewings (Ind, Tavistock South West) said that, with a projected budget gap of £218,000 for 2026/27, some may see the move as “frivolous”.

Councillors on the authority’s hub committee have delayed making a decision until next month to allow more work on a business case and to assess potential grant options.

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Cllr Ewings said the council was keen to pursue the project, calling it “the right thing to do”, but added that it was important to ensure the council achieved “the best value for our residents”.

The council says delivery of its Climate Change and Biodiversity Strategy remains a priority. Members are keen to lead by example by reducing the organisation’s carbon emissions, and by working with others across the borough to cut emissions further.

The authority aims to create high-quality, well-distributed charging provision and eventually replace its vehicle fleet with electric models. 

ABOVE: The EV Hub would have been based at Kilworthy Park but open to the public (Credit: Google Maps)

Cost implications of that transition will be considered at a later date.

A report to the hub committee stated:

“In order for the fleet transition to occur and to complete our related actions within the EV strategy, there is an immediate need for EV charging at Kilworthy Park.”

Plans include six charging points and a rapid charger, the first of its kind in Tavistock.

“This approach will not only support our fleet transition but also further increase the availability of public charging,” the report added.

The estimated £150,000 installation cost, including grid upgrades, was expected to be funded through £20,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and £130,000 from earmarked reserves.

The report noted that the council’s vehicle fleet, which is leased, could be transitioned “fairly straightforwardly”. 

Although lease costs would rise slightly, the switch would save on fuel and maintenance and could create a small revenue stream from public charging, though this could not be reliably forecast.

Installing the charging stations would help the council cut emissions, improve air quality, and support its net zero target, as well as encouraging wider EV uptake across West Devon.

The report has been withdrawn for now and will return to the committee in a “strengthened form” next month.