Decision details

That the Cabinet Member:

Agrees to provide Rural Action Derbyshire a capital grant of £57,000 for the purchase of 5 e-mopeds and 10 e-bikes to support expansion of the Wheels to Work scheme with a specific focus on the Staveley area.

The funding will fulfil the Council’s obligations under its agreement with Chesterfield Borough Council and will allow the successful Wheels to Work scheme to expand its provision in the Staveley area.

Option 1: Not to provide the funding– The County Council’s role in this initiative, as transport authority with responsibility for enabling sustainable transport solutions, is to passport capital funding from Chesterfield Borough Council to Rural Action Derbyshire under a grant funding agreement signed by both Councils. Not providing the funding to Rural Action Derbyshire would place the County Council in breach of this agreement, so is not a viable option.

Option 2: To procure e-mopeds and e-bikes directly– The County Council could potentially offer the same outcome by procuring e-mopeds and e-bikes itself and then making these available to candidates via Rural Action Derbyshire. However, as Rural Action Derbyshire has existing supply chain arrangements in place, whereas the Council does not, there is no benefit in this approach.