Issue - meetings

Following a call-in to Scrutiny the Cabinet to reconsider the recommendations of the Managing the Environment Policy Development Group regarding car parking charges.

RESOLVED that:

a)    Subject to a day rate of £2.00 being introduced in all 3 of the long stay car parks – St Saviours/High Street, Crediton between 8.00am and 6.00pm, Station Road, Cullompton between 8.00am and 6.00pm and the Multi-Storey Car Park, Tiverton between 6.00am and 8.00pm, the recommendations of the Policy Development Group be approved.

b)    These recommendations will form the basis of the new off street Parking Places Order (Road Traffic Act 1984) which will be advertised and consulted upon and therefore delegated authority be given to the Head of Finance in consultation with the Cabinet Member for the Environment to act on feedback from this consultation process and agree any necessary amendments required before finalising the 2016/17 car park charges to be incorporated into the final order.

The Cabinet at its meeting on 17 December 2015 made the following decision that

a)    Subject to: the parking charges in the Multi-Storey Car Park in Tiverton,  and the car parks in Station Road, Cullompton and St Saviours Way, Crediton being raised to £2 for 24 hours or part of;  the recommendations of the Policy Development Group be approved.

b)    These recommendations will form the basis of the new off street Parking Places Order (Road Traffic Act 1984) which will be advertised and consulted upon and therefore delegated authority be given to the Head of Finance in consultation with the Cabinet Member for the Environment to act on feedback from this consultation process and agree any necessary amendments required before finalising the 2016/17 car park charges to be incorporated into the final order.

This decision had been called in to the Scrutiny Committee by Councillor Mrs J Roach supported by Councillors R M Deed, R J Dolley, F W Letch, J L Smith, Mrs N Woollatt and R Wright for the following reasons:

• There had not been a business case to clearly weigh up the effects of these increases on the economic viability of the three towns. 

• The decision was contrary to stated aims of regenerating the three towns and the aim to improve the economy of the whole district. It was therefore against Council policy.

• No provision had been made for the people who might want to use the long stay car parks for one or two hours. This could well include people who wanted to visit MDDC offices. The Phoenix House car park was frequently full of people making use of the 'free' period thus forcing people into the multi storey.

• The charging structure as proposed had inconsistencies.

• The impact on the short stay car parks had not been factored into the equation. It was likely to result in an increased use of the short stay car parks and a subsequent and significant reduction in income in the multi storey.

• The multi storey was for many years underused because of the fear of vandalism to cars, some people also found it intimidating as there were so few cars using it, over the past twelve months there had been an increase in the number of cars using the multi storey and it no longer had the feeling of desolation.

• In Tiverton, people may also go back to using the M&S car park thus resulting in a loss of retail sales in the town centre and a loss of income to MDDC.

The Scrutiny Committee had met on 4 January 2016 and recommended that the Cabinet review its decision.

The Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee outlined the reasoning behind the call in stating that it was not a challenge to the authority but a way of reflecting the work that had taken place by the Car Parking Working Group and the need to capitalise on the success of the pricing in the Multi-Storey Car Park (MSCP) which was felt  ...  view the full minutes text for item 120

Arising from a report of the Head of Finance, the Managing the Environment Policy Development Group had recommended that the pricing proposals within the report be approved, along with the recommendations in section 3.2 of the report.

Arising from a *report of the Head of Finance, the Managing the Environment Policy Development Group had recommended that the pricing proposals within the report be approved, along with the recommendations in section 3.2 of the report.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment stated that a working group had been looking at issues to do with car parking since the beginning of the year, there had been agreement that some free car parking be made available and that the charging structure be simplified. The recommendations of the working group had been agreed by the Policy Development Group.

Consideration was given to the charging scheme for the long stay car parks of the Multi-Storey Car Park in Tiverton, Station Road, Cullompton and St Saviours Way, Crediton, it was suggested that these charges be increased to £2 for 24 hours or part of.

Concern was raised by those in attendance with regard to:

·         Any increase in the cost of long stay parking

·         The benefits of £1 for 5 hours parking

·         Amenity car parks and the continued requests that parishes be asked to contribute to the costs

·         Season tickets and the need for a criteria to be set for any discounts

Further consideration was also given to Parish precepts and the fact that they were not subject to the same strict capping criteria.

RESOLVED that:

a)    Subject to: the parking charges in the Multi-Storey Car Park in Tiverton,  and the car parks in Station Road, Cullompton and St Saviours Way, Crediton being raised to £2 for 24 hours or part of;  the recommendations of the Policy Development Group be approved.

b)    These recommendations will form the basis of the new off street Parking Places Order (Road Traffic Act 1984) which will be advertised and consulted upon and therefore delegated authority be given to the Head of Finance in consultation with the Cabinet Member for the Environment to act on feedback from this consultation process and agree any necessary amendments required before finalising the 2016/17 car park charges to be incorporated into the final order.

(Proposed by Cllr R L Stanley and seconded by Cllr N V Davey)

Note: - *Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.