COLCHESTER Council is set to spend £726,000 to buy or hire 21 new electric and hybrid vehicles as part of its plans to tackle the climate emergency.

The authority’s cabinet is being asked to approve a plan for the purchase or contract hire of a collection of electric or hybrid vans, cars and 4x4s.

The move is the first stage of the authority’s established strategy which is to move to an entirely carbon neutral fleet by 2030.

Vehicles would replace those used by several of the council’s teams, including the neighbourhood wardens, the country park rangers, pest control and helpline services.

To facilitate the move, 20 charging points could be installed at the council’s base Rowan House, in Sheepen Road, at a cost of £114,000.

Cash will come through borrowing, with some grant funding available to support the project.

Martin Goss, Colchester Council’s waste, environment and transportation boss, said it is part of the council’s determination to be greener.

He said: “It is an exciting project, but it is also comes with the condition it must be done properly.

“This is public money and we must make sure the technology we back is the right one.

“It is us backing the green agenda, but also being cautious making sure we spend wisely.”

The vehicles will bring savings to the council in terms of fuel costs, while further investment is also set aside under the capital works programme to improve the Shrub End waste depot.

Mr Goss said the plan was the council’s entire fleet would eventually go electric, including the rubbish collection vehicles used to collect residents’ doorstep waste.

He said: “We did not go out and procure new electric dust carts when we recently replaced them because the technology is not there and it would have been a poor use of public funds.

“In two to five years there could be huge improvements in the technology.

“Once the technology is more advanced and vehicles have better batteries, then absolutely we would invest in them.

“The vision is eventually to get everything electric as quickly as possible, but we have to do it cautiously - this is public money we are spending.”

The plans will be discussed at a meeting on Monday.