Issue - decisions
Waste Vehicles Fuel Arrangements
17/06/2026 - WASTE VEHICLES FUEL ARRANGEMENTS
RESOLVED: That Cabinet approved use of a HVO mix for the Council’s large waste vehicles, that limits the additional cost to the Council (of using HVO over diesel) to approximately £5,000 per month from 1 July 2026 to 31 March 2027. This would be subject to a minimum HVO use of 20%, unless it became impossible to obtain HVO fuel.
REASONS FOR DECISION:
(1) The Council set a budget in January 2025 to use Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil in the vehicles (above 3.5 tonnes) in the waste and street cleansing contract. The budget set aside at the time (£40k per year ongoing) was expected to be sufficient to use 100% HVO in those vehicles, although the budget decision did reference that it would be possible to use incremental levels of HVO depending on cost. Inflation added to the budget means that £40k budget is now £42k (for 2026/27).
(2) Global events have increased the cost of fuel, with an even more substantial increase in the cost of HVO. This recommendation manages the cost impact on the Council during this period of uncertainty. Overall, the Council remains committed to its Sustainability Strategy and the carbon emission targets set within that strategy.