Agenda and minutes

To receive from Members declarations as to personal and/or prejudicial interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any Agenda Item.  Please see Notes 1 and 2 below.

No declarations were received.

To consider the decision made by the Cabinet on 31^st January 2008 on the Car Parking Strategy Action Plan, which has been called-in by the Panel, as described in a report by the Head of Administration.

(Councillor I C Bates, Leader of the Council and Councillor P L E Bucknell, Executive Councillor for Planning Strategy, Environment and Transport were in attendance for this Item).

The Panel received a report by the Leader of the Council (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) outlining a series of suggestions in response to the issues raised.

Further to Minute No. 07/67 Members were reminded that at their meeting held on 15th January 2008, they had decided to raise no objections on a proposed car parking action plan formulated by the Car Parking Working Party but had invited the Cabinet to take into account a number of issues when the Action Plan was considered. As those matters had not been accepted by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 31st January 2008, eight Members of the Panel had called in the Cabinet’s decision on the action plan.

The Chairman expressed the Panel’s concern and disappointment that its recommendations had not been accepted by the Cabinet.  Having considered the revised draft action plan, the Panel remained of the view that the proposed 25% reduction in the cost of a car parking season ticket for vehicles with emissions below 120g/km was not sufficiently ambitious to produce a noticeable impact on the District as this would apply to no more than a handful of vehicles.  The Panel reiterated that the Cabinet should take a more innovative approach in creating positive incentives to encourage motorists to purchase and use lower emission vehicles.

The Leader of the Council informed the Panel that the Cabinet had felt that no further information was required on the implications of the Panel’s support for greater incentives for the public to use low emission vehicles. In addition this would be influenced by the emerging Environment Strategy and the Leader suggested that any change should be dealt with as part of a wider review of environmental issues.

In the ensuing discussion, the Team Leader for Transportation advised Members of the current administration process for purchasing car parking season tickets by residents in Huntingdonshire and how this could be adapted to meet the needs of a proposed “green badge” scheme with a discount for lower emission vehicles.

In relation to the use of surplus income generated from car parking charges, the Panel drew attention to the statement in the current car parking strategy that the Council would direct surplus income derived from car parking charges to the furtherance of securing measures to promote integrated, sustainable and accessible transport.  Having been advised of the Cabinet’s view that flexibility should be retained to enable budgets to be managed within a policy adopted by the Council of not ring fencing income, the Panel highlighted the inconsistency between the strategy statement and Council policy.  The Leader of the Council acknowledged the anomaly but reaffirmed the view of the Cabinet that income should not be ring fenced in order to maintain flexibility in delivering service improvements.

Following questions by Members regarding the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85.