Agenda item

To consider any decisions made by the Cabinet at its last meeting that have been called-in.

The Chairman informed the Committee that two decisions made by the Cabinet at its meeting on 22^nd August 2019 (with regard to the Car Parking Working Group report and the Disposal of Land at the Park Road Nursery Depot) had been called in for consideration by the Scrutiny Committee in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

 

To consider:

 

a)    Car Parking Working Group report*

 

•           The decision was illogical

•           The decision diminishes legitimate income

•           The decision went against the balanced recommendation of the Car Parking Working Group

 

The Chairman explained that he had called in the decision as he felt that having different charges for night time parking in different car parks across the District was illogical and that the findings and recommendations of the Working Group were balanced.

 

The Committee discussed the Cabinet decision to abolish night time car parking charges and the Chairman of the Car Parking Working Group explained that over the course of the Group meetings night time car parking charges had been discussed. He explained that the working group had a long discussion about the charges and had decided to retain the £1 charge but to introduce a lower priced permit which would be able to be paid in monthly instalments and would cost the user less than 30p per day.

 

The Cabinet Member for the Working Environment and Support Services explained that she was part of the original Car Parking Working Group and she felt that the decision to remove night time charges was not illogical. She explained that the charges in the Multi Storey Car Park had always been different than the Council’s other car parks. She explained that in her opinion the policy to charge people to park overnight had increased the amount of car parking on local streets. She explained that no other local authority in the South West charged people to park overnight and that the decision would not have a detrimental effect on the Council’s income. She further explained that the Cabinet had understood and considered the Working Group recommendation but they didn’t accept them in their entirety.  

 

The Chairman of the Working Party explained to members that those neighbouring authorities that didn’t charge for overnight parking had a residents’ parking scheme which raised income for overnight parking but in a different way. He explained that this had been looked at by the working group, but it was felt that the Council should assist residents to park securely at night but with a lower fee.

 

The Cabinet Member for the Working Environment and Support Services informed members that people were driving around and around in Cullompton looking for a free car parking space. She addressed the points about residents’ parking permits and suggested that this was something that could be looked at.

 

The Chairman of the Economy PDG addressed the committee and explained that they had accepted the findings of the Working Group. He acknowledged the current poor uptake of night time parking permits but stated that as part of the discussion into the new charges, it was agreed that there needed to be a public engagement campaign.

 

There were further discussions about the night time parking charges and members considered:

 

·         Current poor sales of night time permits

·         People wanting to park outside their homes

·         The financial aspect of removing night time charges

 

The Committee agreed that the Cabinet should reconsider their decision.

 

It was therefore:

 

RESOLVED that the Cabinet be requested to reconsider the decision to abolish night time car parking charges.

 

(Proposed by the Chairman)

 

 

Prior to considering the following Call in item (Disposal of Land at the Park Road Nursery Depot), discussion took place as to whether it was necessary to pass the following resolution to exclude the press and public having reflected on Article 15 15.02(d) (a presumption in favour of openness) of the Constitution. The Committee decided that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information. 

 

It was therefore:

 

RESOLVED that under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the next item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) 

 

(Proposed by the Chairman)

 

In response to:

 

b)    Disposal of Land at the Park Road Nursery Depot

 

The Chairman informed the Committee that the Disposal of Land at the Park Road Nursery Depot decision had been called in by Cllr B Evans, Cllr Mrs C P Daw and Cllr A Moore and that the reasons for the Call in were:

 

•          The Cabinet failed to consider wider possibilities for additional income generation set against other options available.

 

•           The Cabinet failed to adequately consider the risks associated with any time delay associated with the decision made.

 

•           The Cabinet failed to adequately consider the full risks associated with known ongoing costs associated with the asset.

 

•           The Cabinet failed to adequately consider the known required expenditure to enable the asset to be placed in the open market with no mitigation offered against such risk.

 

•           The Cabinet failed to adequately consider being unable to gain the higher valuation sought given the current market volatility.

 

•           The Cabinet failed to adequately consider known and approved wider corporate objectives.

 

Cllr R Evans outlined his view on the decision and the reasoning behind the call-in.

 

The Committee discussed the decision made by the Cabinet to place the Park Road Nursery Depot on the open market with planning permission and the reasons that it had been called in.

 

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Property Services and the Leader explained to the Committee the process of making and the reason for the decision.

 

Consideration was given to:

 

·         The cost to the Council of obtaining planning permission for the site prior to a sale

·         The decision to offer the asset on the open market

·         The three valuations obtained

 

Following discussion on the matter, the meeting returned to open session and it was:

 

RESOLVED that as there were no recommendations or proposals agreed by the Committee there was no need for Cabinet to reconsider the decision.

 

(Proposed by the Chairman)

 

Note: *Report previously circulated and attached to the minutes