To receive a verbal update from the Chairman of the Working Group.
Minutes:
The Chairman of the Car Parking Working Group, Cllr Guy Cochran, provided the following update on what had taken place since the last meeting:
· The first meeting of the parking consultation group was held on 20 September 2023. Representatives of Tiverton and Crediton Town Councils, business groups and prominent business owners, Members and officers had been present.
· There had been an emphasis by officers surrounding the importance of coming up with credible and economically viable proposals that would encourage the Economy Policy Development Group to make recommendation to the Cabinet for potential implementation. The aim was to look at this from a longer term perspective, as the impact of the recent changes brought in at the end of June 2023 needed to be assessed in terms of their impact (likely to be a 6 to 9 month period). It was therefore likely that the working group would be looking at the 2024-2025 financial year for these proposals to be considered.
· It was also stressed that with inflation stubbornly high the cost of running parking including associated utilities like tarmacking, machine maintenance and patrolling public areas was considerable.
· During discussion, a review of the terms of reference was undertaken and discussion held within the group on how these could represent respective communities.
· Future agenda items were discussed and the group decided that the most pressing matters for them were:
· To look at a 3 hour tariff option being brought in alongside the current 1 and 2 hour rates to encourage more visitors and residents to spend longer in the towns.
· To look at how empty car spaces were utilised, for example, trial cheaper rates for certain spaces to see if they were used.
· To look at ways to incentivise permits, for example, car sharing, monthly debits with a particular focus on business.
· To get Christmas parking for the year ahead signed off and in the budget, for example, arrangements for Christmas parking 2024 to be agreed when the 24/25 budget was set and agreed by full Council.
· To review Tiverton Disability Access – including Kerbside and Disabled Spaces.
· To examine Market permits being issued to traders on special events, which then prevented shoppers from being able to park.
· The actions requiring sign off from the Cabinet Member for Finance were raised in relation to parking over the Christmas period. It was agreed that the 5 Saturdays before Christmas were requested for free parking in 2023, for example, 25 November then 2, 9, 16, 23 December. These would be applicable in the Multi-Storey Car Park, Tiverton, Station Road Cullompton and High Street/St Saviours Way, Crediton.
· Further meetings are planned to take place every 6-8 weeks.
Discussion took place with regard to:
· When the Group would see the written Terms of Reference from the Working Group including the proposed outcomes? It was confirmed that a paper would be brought to the next Policy Development Group meeting in November.
· The need for it to be very clear that the eventual recommendations to the Cabinet would be coming from this Policy Development Group.
· Whether a special permit could be provided to individuals enduring exceptional circumstances, for example, a terminally ill resident receiving ad-hoc palliative care. It was confirmed that if the individual approached Parking Services through their Ward Member then this ought to be possible.
· More attention needed to be paid to the location of coach parking within Tiverton.
· Whether it was possible to provide an incentive for market traders to park their vehicles in the Multi-Storey Car Park (MSCP) rather than take up spaces in the public car park. It was confirmed that this was being looked at.
· Whether it was possible to ‘bulk buy’ tickets for use in the MSCP?
· The possibility of creating a facility for camper vans to park overnight.
The Chairman stated that he was very encouraged by the amount of work that was taking place. The issue was extremely important and was now being given the correct amount of consideration and focus.