Council approves £150k Tavistock electric vehicle charging upgrade after earlier delay

West Devon Borough Council has agreed to invest £150,000 in new electric vehicle (EV) charging points at its Kilworthy Park offices in Tavistock, several months after the project was paused to explore alternative funding options.

The scheme, which includes what will be Tavistock’s first rapid charger, was previously delayed in the autumn while councillors examined grant opportunities and reviewed the business case. 

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At the time, council leader Cllr Mandy Ewings said the authority needed to ensure it achieved “the best value for our residents” amid a projected budget gap for 2026/27.

West Devon Borough Council’s Cabinet has now approved the project, with plans including the installation of seven charging points at Kilworthy Park; one rapid charger and six standard chargers suitable for longer or overnight stays. 

The charging points form part of the council’s wider EV strategy, which aims to create reliable charging provision across West Devon and eventually transition the authority’s fleet away from traditional fuels, with facilities also available to the public as well as for council vehicles.

Cllr Chris West, Lead Member for Climate and Biodiversity, said:

“This project is the Council’s opportunity to showcase the benefits of electric vehicles locally and lead by example in our continued efforts to lower our own CO₂ emissions and help to lower emissions across the Borough.

“The mix of a rapid charger and standard chargers will both support the transition of our vehicle fleet from petrol and diesel to electric but also increase the availability of public charging.

“The project is part of the Council’s wider climate change and biodiversity strategy. This is the latest in a series of successful initiatives to help reach our aims, including the launch of our wildlife warden scheme, the renewal of our thermal imaging camera scheme that helps communities to make homes more energy-efficient, solar and energy efficiency projects at our Kilworthy Park offices and supporting decarbonisation plans for West Devon businesses through UKSPF funding.

“We will continue to push forward with our efforts to support the environment, both for the benefit of people living here in West Devon, and the wider world.”

Funding for the scheme will come from £20,000 of UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) money and £130,000 from earmarked reserves.

Earlier reports to the council’s hub committee said EV charging at Kilworthy Park was needed to support the future replacement of the council’s leased vehicle fleet with electric models. 

Officers said the fleet transition could be carried out “fairly straightforwardly”, with increased lease costs expected to be offset by savings in fuel and maintenance. 

A small income from public charging was considered possible, though not guaranteed.

The rapid charger is expected to act as a new “destination” charging point in Tavistock, where facilities are currently limited, and the council says the installation will also support its commitments in the Climate Change and Biodiversity Strategy and encourage wider EV uptake across West Devon.

Work to prepare the site and install the charging stations is expected to begin following further technical and procurement steps.