Agenda item

To consider a report on the Cabinet’s decisions to the Panel’s recommendations arising from the Call in meeting of the Panel held on 20th February 2008.

(Councillor P L E Bucknell, Executive Councillor for Planning Strategy, Environment and Transport, was in attendance for this item). 

Further to Minute No. 07/85, the Panel received a report by the Head of Administration (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) on the outcome of the Panel’s call in of decisions by the Cabinet on the Car Parking Strategy Action Plan which had been considered at a meeting held on 21st February 2008.

Members were reminded that they had previously raised no objection on the proposed car parking action plan formulated by the Car Parking Working Party at their meeting held on 15th January 2008 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 and had invited Councillors I C Bates and P L E Bucknell to attend as Leader of the Council and appropriate Executive Councillor respectively a meeting of the Panel held on 20^th February 2008.  As a result, the Panel had made a number of further recommendations to  Cabinet in relation to incentives for low emission vehicles, the ring-fencing of surplus income, and the commencement of a review of the car parking action plan with effect from January 2009.

The Executive Councillor explained that, with the aid of further research regarding incentives for drivers with vehicles of CO₂emissions of 120g/km or less, the Cabinet had resolved to introduce a reduction of 50% in the cost of a car parking season ticket and resident permit.  Taking into account inflation, the Executive Councillor informed the Panel that a revised Option 1 charging structure was to be submitted to the meeting of the Cabinet on 13th March 2008 upon which the views of the Panel were invited.  Following questions by Members in relation to whether the focus of car parking charges reflected environmental issues or revenue generation, the Head of Planning Services explained that it was important to find a balance between economic and environmental factors. In the ensuing debate, the Head of Planning Services informed the Panel that detailed analysis of Council expenditure on car parking was likely to demonstrate that the Council did not generate any surplus income from charges and that expenditure on highways and transportation generally by the Council exceeded income from this source.

In discussing the revised Option 1 charging structure, Members noted that the proposals put forward for parking for 2 and 3 hours in inner, mid and Waitrose car parks would both provide for a £1 charge and felt that there should be a differential in charge for parking for those lengths of time. In addition, the Panel did not consider that the charge for parking on street for one hour should be increased to 60p and should be limited to 50p as originally proposed in Option 1.

In relation to the issue of ring fencing surplus income generated from car parking charges, the Panel reiterated that the Cabinet’s view was at variance with the policy approved as part of the existing Car Parking Strategy and suggested again that this anomaly be rectified to remove any confusion. 

RESOLVED

  that the Cabinet be informed that the Panel would welcome a rescission of the Cabinet’s decision to introduce Option 2 parking charges and welcome a return to Option 1 as originally agreed, subject to the comments referred to above on the revision now proposed to that charging structure.