COUNCIL bosses could team up with energy firm Eon to increase the number of electric car charging points in the Ribble Valley.

Eon has put forward proposals to the council to introduce charging points at car parks in Clitheroe.

The current level of provision in the area is still quite poor even though Lancashire County Council have installed three on street chargers in Whalley and another three in Clitheroe.

In the Ribble Valley Council Corporate Strategy 2019-2023 the council has given an undertaking to introduce a number of electrical charging points on council-operated car parks.

A paper was submitted to Committee in March last year outlining two proposals that the council had received from companies offering different solutions for the installation of the charging points. The two companies were UK Recharge and EON.

Of the two companies EON was considered to be the best proposal and committee recommended that officers obtain detailed information relating to the proposal and then resubmit a further report.

Further information was obtained but unfortunately the proposal offer was considered not to be cost effective.

Now Eon has come back to the council with a new proposal.

The council's director of community services, John Heap, said: "Eon propose installing two twin chargers at Railway View again sourcing the power from the council building via a separate meter. "At Chester Avenue they propose installing 5 twin chargers taking power from a nearby substation.

"They are offering a ” hands off” solution through a 10 year agreement. All ongoing operating and maintenance costs will be included and there will be no further cost to the council beyond an initial contribution of £7,500.

"They will also provide a contact centre should there be any customer service, billing or infrastructure queries.

"They have developed a mobile app showing customers if points are available or in use and other information users might need and are now developing the pay and display integration.

"The charging cost to the customer will be 35p/kWh including 3p/kWh revenue share (over 5000kWh/annum).

"They have said that they might be able to include the cost of the hourly parking within the fee and pay it back to the council should the council want to go down that route."