Wollongong City Council media release: Wednesday 21 December 2022
We’re committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our Local Government Area.
While Council is working to improve the emissions generated by our buildings, facilities and landfill, we’ve an important role to play in facilitating others to reduce their own impacts.
cOne way we’re doing this is by facilitating the availability of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (EVCI) across the city. And while Council doesn’t offer the infrastructure itself as one of our services, it’s our policy that sets out the principles that guide Council and third-party providers for the establishment, operation, management and removal of EVCI’s in the city.
“Policies are important as they set out in a clear and transparent way how Council works, how we facilitate EVCI’s in our city and how third-party providers are expected to set up and operate these stations,’’ Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said.
“Our existing Electric Vehicle Charging Stations on Public Land Policy was adopted in December 2020 and is due for review.
“This review allows us to ensure it’s relevant, aligns to current organisation and other government policy and meets its purpose. It’s also an opportunity to seek broader community input into a document that’ll guide Council decisions moving forward.’’
Council, at its meeting on Monday 12 December, supported the public exhibition of the draft policy in 2023 so that our community could have the opportunity to provide feedback on the document.
The proposed amendments to the draft policy include:
- Changing the title to replace “charging stations” with “charging infrastructure” to align the document with the NSW Government’s NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy.
- Changing the use of “public land” to “Council land” and adding in a definition of Council land.
- Include Sustainable Development Goals and alignment to Sustainable Wollongong 2030 Strategy and the Climate Change Mitigation Plan 2020-2022.
- Outline of Council site pre-selection process and relevant site selection criteria.
- Reference to types of chargers preferred by Council updated to be consistent with the NSW Government’s NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy.
Details of the upcoming community engagement will be provided through Council’s website, social media channels and e-newsletter in 2023.
In the meantime, the report considered by Council on Monday 12 December, which includes the draft Plan, is available on Council’s website.