In local government, the phrase “not our job” rarely carries much weight.
When EV chargers go down and support is slow to arrive, it’s often council teams who step in, not because they have to, but because they care. About their residents, their communities, and keeping things moving.
We’ve spoken with officers from several councils who’ve shared just how often this happens, especially in remote or rural areas, where supplier response times can be longer. They’ve told us about manually rebooting charge points, responding to frustrated drivers, and taking immediate action simply to avoid leaving people stranded. Not because it was in the contract, but because someone needed to take responsibility in that moment.
It’s a brilliant, proactive effort. But here’s the catch:
These urgent fixes weren’t being logged in the back office system, because they weren’t carried out by the Charge Point Operator.
So, from a data point of view, the fault never existed.
It meant the council couldn’t demonstrate the true scale of issues back to the supplier, and valuable opportunities to evidence contract performance gaps were lost.
But this isn’t about pointing fingers. In many cases, the CPO is meeting the service levels outlined in the contract. The issue is that the SLA may not reflect the urgency experienced on the ground. A 48–72-hour response time might be contractually sound, but to a driver unable to charge, it’s still far too long.
That’s the impossible position many council officers find themselves in. They’re trying to protect the reputation of the council and maintain trust in the charging network, while working within agreements that may not account for local realities. And in stepping in to keep things moving, they may inadvertently mask the very issues that need addressing.
And still, the public sees only the council logo on the car park.
These behind-the-scenes efforts, however well-intentioned, often go unseen and unacknowledged.
That’s why visibility matters.
At Full Circle CI, our 4-Day Deep Dive is designed to surface these realities. We help councils see the full picture, not just what’s visible in the back-office system, but the workarounds and decisions that often go unrecorded. But we don’t stop there. Our Charge Point Evolution Framework supports council teams for the long haul, turning insight into action, and helping teams build the structures, partnerships, and strategies needed to deliver a more reliable and trusted charging experience over time.
If your officers have been quietly holding the network together, let’s talk. Their work deserves to be recognised, and your network deserves to reflect reality, not just the numbers. You can book in a discussion now.
We’re delighted to offer our Practical Problem Solving workshops to all women working in the electric vehicle sector, with two upcoming dates: an in-person session on 12th June at The AA in Oldbury, and an online version via MS Teams on 25th June.
These hands-on workshops are designed to equip you with proven tools and techniques to tackle real-world challenges and drive improvement within your organisation.
Early bird pricing is available until 31st May, and spaces are limited, so please book now to secure your place.
