Issue - meetings

To receive a report providing details of the grant proposal made by the Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) to the Council.

The Cabinet has

(1)  noted the proposal for grant funding which has been made by the Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA);

(2)  noted that sufficient powers exist for Officers to accept said grant funding in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder;

(3)  endorsed that Officers, on behalf of the Council, should undertake steps to formally accept the funding – including formalising necessary grant agreements and payment profiles etc;

(4)  agreed to the use of the grant funding to implement a ‘free after 4pm parking Monday to Friday’ scheme based on the recommended option (at section 3) as set out within the report; and

(5)  delegated responsibility for the implementation of the aforementioned scheme to the Corporate Director (Place) in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Parks and Countryside, Waste and Street Scene as necessary including:

(a)  to make and confirm necessary changes to the Parking Places Orders where required and to make and confirm the Notice of Variation required to implement the agreed charges;

(b)  to make and confirm necessary changes to the Parking Places Orders where required and to make and confirm the Notice of Variation to reinstate the current (until 1800 Monday to Friday) chargeable hours from 1^st April 2028 or sooner if the operation of the scheme results in unintended or unforeseen detrimental impacts including but not limited to financially impacting the Council (e.g. where loss of income exceeds the grant contribution), or other detrimental impact occurs to people, place or the Council as a consequence of operation; and

(c)  to undertake any other activities necessary to implement, vary or cease the scheme including any necessary changes and reinstatement works.

A report by the Head of Economy, Regeneration & Housing Delivery was submitted (a copy of which is appended to the Minute Book) providing details of the grant proposal made to the Council by the Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA).

The Executive Councillor for Parks and Countryside, Waste & Street Scene, Councillor Kerr introduced the report and made reference to the comments of the Overview & Scrutiny (Performance and Growth) Panel, who had put forward 2 recommendations in relation to the report.

In response to questions from the Cabinet regarding the recommendation from the Overview & Scrutiny (Performance and Growth) Panel that the Council should wait for the Car Parking Strategy before making a decision, the Executive Councillor for Parks and Countryside, Waste & Street Scene, Councillor Kerr advised that a consequence of doing so could lead to the Mayor withdrawing the offer.

In discussing the report, the Cabinet made the following comments;

• that there was no such thing as ‘free parking’, and the bill would not be paid by those taking advantage of the free 2 hours. It was a universal subsidy paid for by all residents to benefit the few who happened to use cark parks;
• from a financial perspective it would be prudent to support the proposal. Any opportunity to help invest and put money into the Council’s market towns should not be declined;
• it was a difficult decision as there were better ways of spending the money, however it was offered to the Council packaged in a certain way, and if refused residents might question why the Council had not given them access to free parking;
• the Mayor had made the political decision to prioritise subsidising car parking over sustainable transport. There was scepticism whether free parking would result in high street regeneration. However, the grant proposal was a beneficial option for residents;
• reference was made to the CPCA reducing bus services across the region and the impact that would have on residents, and the money might have been better spent on such services. However, there was reluctant support for the proposal;
• although the proposal may help some residents, shops and the Council, it was important to note that the money would come from the taxpayer and was being used in a specific way to support a political choice of the Mayor. Furthermore, evidence showed that free parking did not clearly bring more footfall into the town and did not help shops financially.
• the proposal was being labelled as a trial, which was not the case as the Council would cease to exist at the end of the period proposed, and it was not for the Council or the Mayor to decide the Parking arrangements after May 2028;
• the recommendation from the Overview & Scrutiny (Performance and Growth) Panel requesting the Business Case was welcomed;
• there were other services the Mayor could preferably have used the money on, such as buses, bus shelters, train stations, light rail or road improvements;
• there was concern whether this was the right use  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15