Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 8th September 2016.

The minutes for the meeting of the Panel held on 6th September 2016 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive from Members declarations as to disclosable pecuniary and other interests in relation to any Agenda item.

No declarations of interest were received.

A copy of the current Notice of Key Executive Decisions is attached. Members are invited to note the Plan and to comment as appropriate on any items contained therein.

The Panel received and noted the current Notice of Key Executive Decisions (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which has been prepared by the Executive Leader for the period 1st October 2016 to 31st January 2017.

The Panel is to receive a demonstration of the Invest Huntingdonshire Website.

The Executive Councillor for Business, Enterprise and Skills and the Economic Development Officer demonstrated to Members the Invest Huntingdonshire Website at www.investhuntingdonshire.co.uk. The Panel was informed that the website went live in May 2016 and has on average 100 hits a week.

The aim of the website is to showcase Huntingdonshire as a location of choice to live, work and invest. The site provides a platform to attract new businesses into the District as well as assist and support existing businesses to grow and prosper.

The website is designed as a point of reference and provides local companies with the ability to register and search for funding and business support opportunities, commercial properties, events and upload their details onto a business directory.

Members were reminded that the website serves as a tool to support and assist local Councillors and Parish representatives in their local engagement with business and community engagement.

Following a question regarding the internet connection and speed in Yaxley and Farcet and could anything be done, Members were informed that the internet service providers are responsible for the internet connection and speed however the local ward Member, District Council and County Council could collectively apply pressure for improvements.

In response to a question is there anything on the website that projects the improvements of the A14 to encourage business to locate here the Panel were informed that the website can be altered to accommodate future improvements.

Members were informed that the website is live and as information comes in the website will be updated.

Following a question regarding how to measure the successes of the website Members were informed that there will be Key Performance Indicators that will be presented within update reports and that website usage is one indicator.

The Review of Fees and Charges – Car Parks is to be presented to the Panel.

With the aid of a report by the Head of Operations (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Review of Fees and Charges – Car Parks was presented to the Panel. By way of introduction the Executive Councillor for Operational Resources informed Members that as the level of government funding had been reducing year on year the Council has to review all income streams. The process identified a requirement to increase off street parking charges by £250k.

Members were reminded that the last time Parking Charges were reviewed was in 2013. Car Park Fees in Huntingdonshire are very competitive when compared with neighbouring authorities of Peterborough, Cambridge and Bedford. As part of the review the car parks are defined in the following categories: retail, commuter and recreational.

The Panel noted that officers and the Executive Councillor considered 12 options and the preferred option was number 12 which increased fees and charges by 20p in short stays and 30p in long stays. Included in the option was the introduction to of free parking after 3pm on Saturdays all year round.

In addition the Council will increase the cost of season tickets to £400 per year however Members were informed that the Council’s season tickets remain competitive when compared to season tickets sold for the railway station car park and the car park opposite the railway station.

The installation of new car parking machines have been proposed at a cost of £51,700. The machines would allow users to input vehicle registration numbers to claim the free first hours parking in Riverside St Neots and Riverside Huntingdon.

The Panel were reminded that the report before Members represents the starting point of the process before fee changes goes out for consultation with the public.

In response to the question of how is the consultation going to be measured Members were informed that the consultation will be measured in terms of the number of responses received.

Members commented that it is not fair to compare car park fees in Huntingdonshire with those in Peterborough and Cambridge as the fees in the cities are more expensive because there is more to do. It was noted that people who go to Peterborough and Cambridge will continue to go regardless of the car park fees in the District. Members thought more benefit would be gained by comparing fees with similar local authorities.

Concerns were raised that by increasing car parking fees people won’t want to go into the market towns but would rather go to the retail parks or supermarkets where parking in free or pay a little extra and go into Peterborough or Cambridge where there is a larger selection of retail outlets.

When a question was raised in regards to the number of cars that could be displaced as a result of the increase in car park fees, the Panel was informed that the report is on car park fees and it is not a general parking report.

Following a question as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

To consider and agree the Panel’s updated work programme.

With the aid of a report by the Democratic Services Officer (Scrutiny) (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Panel reviewed the progress of its activities since the last meeting. The Panel agreed to add the work stream of car park fees on to the Panel’s work programme.

Members did not support the creation of a Task and Finish Group for background work on the Local Plan To 2036 however they did support the Chairman becoming the Panel’s expert on the issue.

The Panel supported the inclusion of the topic of devolution on to the Panel’s work programme and have requested that the relevant Executive Councillor attends a future Panel meeting to explain what devolution means for the District and answer Members’ questions.

The Community Resilience Plan including relationships with Parish and Town Councils and the County Council was raised as an issue that the Panel would like to review and have extended an invitation to the Executive Councillor for Community Resilience to attend a future Panel meeting and explain what work has been completed thus far.

Members supported the inclusion of the Housing Strategy onto the work programme. The Panel agreed that the Housing Working Group (formally known as the Affordable Housing Working Group and the Registered Social Providers Working Group) be resurrected to review housing policy as and when required. The Panel would also like to invite the Executive Councillor for Planning Policy, Housing and Infrastructure to a future Panel meeting to discuss the future of the Housing Strategy.

The Panel agreed that the Town Centres/High Street Viability topic is to be included onto the work programme and would like to invite the relevant Executive Councillors to future meetings of the Panel to discuss the latest developments. Members would also like to extend an invitation to Town Council who have adopted Marketing Strategies.

(At 8.49pm, during the consideration of the item, Councillors R B Howe and D M Tysoe left the meeting and did not return.)