Agenda item - Car Park Provision and Charges

Report of Strategic Director Environment and Community

Summary

To consider the recommendations of the joint meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board regarding car park provision and charges.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1) To consider the recommendations of the joint meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board regarding car park provision and charges.

(2) To determine how it wishes to proceed.

Agreed as follows:

** Please note that as an adopted recommendation from scrutiny, resolution 1 is NOT subject to call-in. The additional Resolution 2 is subject to call-in **

Resolved

(1) That the following recommendations of the Joint Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board be endorsed:

· That there is a need to make some adjustments to the new car parking charges and policies in recognition of concerns raised by Councillors and the public.

· That any adjustments must try to balance real benefit to car park users and town traders with the accepted effects on the Council’s limited and reducing finances.

· That the current charges for evening parking be changed to charging to 1900hrs only on current hourly tariffs and free thereafter.

· That there should be free parking for blue badge holders in designated disabled spaces but blue badge holders should be charged in all general parking spaces.

· That there should be a 10 minute maximum period of grace for parking period expiry and non purchase of tickets.

· That the discount for early payment of excess charge notices within 14 days be increased to 50% for all contraventions.

· To note the withdrawal of the current £16 administration charge for appeals which are upheld but where the ECN was issued correctly.

· That the effects of the redevelopment of Bicester Town Centre warrant an adjustment to the current charging regime until the new development is complete (anticipated summer 2013) by reducing the current charges by 10p per hour.

· That officers determine the earliest implementation of the changes agreed by the Executive according to the appropriate legal processes.

· That a detailed communications plan be compiled to signify these changes which takes into account the lessons learnt from the April changes.

· That the loss of income of the above (estimated to be £93,000 per annum) be met from the additional income and lower cost arising from the transfer of some treasury management functions in house; and the fixed term Bicester loss of income (estimated to be £80,000 per annum over two years) from the additional interest secured from the later £10m investment of the Council's contribution to the Bicester Town Centre Redevelopment Scheme due to the delay in its start.

(2) That Sunday and Bank Holiday parking be charged at £1 for all day and that parking on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day remain free.

The Strategic Director Environment and Community submitted a report which sought consideration of the recommendations of the joint meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board regarding car park provision and charges.

Councillor Kieron Mallon, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, presented the recommendations of the Joint Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board. The meeting had noted that a review had been due to take place in the autumn and had commended the Executive for recommending that the scrutiny committees undertake an early review of the revised parking charges in light of public concern and interest. Councillor Mallon explained that the recommendations would benefit residents in the district whilst ensuring that any future loss in income could be accommodated.

The Deputy Leader of the Council requested that all officers who had been involved in the work relating to car parking charges be thanked for their hard work. He paid particular thanks to staff in Parking Services and Customer Services for their hard work in dealing with the queries and calls in relation to parking charges.

Councillor Les Sibley, Leader of the Labour Group, presented a petition to the Executive on behalf of residents and businesses in Banbury opposing evening and Bank Holiday charges. He also addressed the Executive regarding the proposals from the Joint Scrutiny meeting

Councillor Tim Emptage, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, addressed the Executive commending their decision to review car parking charges and regarding the proposals from the Joint Scrutiny meeting.

The Executive noted that whilst they were in agreement about adjusting parking charges and policies, the correct legal processes would need to be followed and no changes could be implemented until such time as these were complete and therefore Excess Charge Notices would continue to be issued. Members also noted that no mistakes had been made in applying Excess Charge Notices since the implementation of the revised parking charges as the charge changes had been correctly introduced.