Issue - meetings

Report of Director of Operational Delivery

Purpose of report

To consider the approach taken to improve the Council’s car parking service and to consider the effect where known of the Council’s free parking offers.  

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To support the nature of the proposed new service and the focus on improvements for customers.

1.2       To note the outcomes of the review of the 2016/17 free parking promotions.

1.3       To support the continued use of free parking promotions for Small Business Saturday in December and Free After three in January as a means of supporting Bicester and Banbury Town Centre traders.

1.4       To undertake a tariff review in 2018 to be informed by the data gathered over the previous 12 months arising from the new car parking service should a decision be taken to award a contract under the separate part two confidential report in this same agenda.

Resolved

(1)          That the nature of the proposed new service and the focus on improvements for customers be supported.

(2)          That the outcomes of the review of the 2016/17 free parking promotions be noted.

(3)          That the continued use of free parking promotions for Small Business Saturday in December and Free After three as a means of supporting Bicester and Banbury Town Centre traders be supported.

(4)          That a tariff review be undertaken in 2018 to be informed by the data gathered over the previous 12 months arising from the new car parking service should a decision be taken to award a contract under the exempt agenda item 14.

The Director of Operational Delivery submitted a report to consider the approach taken to improve the Council’s car parking service and to consider the effect where known of the Council’s free parking offers.

Resolved

(1)          That the nature of the proposed new service and the focus on improvements for customers be supported.

(2)          That the outcomes of the review of the 2016/17 free parking promotions be noted.

(3)          That the continued use of free parking promotions for Small Business Saturday in December and Free After three as a means of supporting Bicester and Banbury Town Centre traders be supported.

(4)          That a tariff review be undertaken in 2018 to be informed by the data gathered over the previous 12 months arising from the new car parking service should a decision be taken to award a contract under the exempt agenda item 14.

Reasons

The Council has approached the procurement process in a way which delivers an improved car parking service, the nature of which has been influenced by customer and trader feedback. Therefore, the new service has been procured with the requirement for the Council’s ageing equipment to be replaced with modern technology which permits a greater number of payment options and more flexible payment options for customers so that they can pay on exit if they wish or even after they have left the car park for some car parks.

Both the Council’s free parking offers in 2016 and 2017 for different reasons have supported the better use of town centres and have therefore been included in the Council’s new service requirements over the term of this contract.

Given the position of very limited data regarding car parks’ utilisation levels, it is proposed that a review of the tariffs be undertaken in 2018 when the Council will be much better informed by data from the new technology to be installed in 2017. This will also provide the new operator with the opportunity to consider against utilisation levels the current tariff structure and levels and any suggestions for change. This broad timescale would also fit with a potential area of change arising from the emerging Banbury Business Improvement District (BID) proposal.

Alternative options

The procurement and technology proposals are outlined in the report. The only other alternative to this approach is to retain the service in house. This is not proposed as it is expected that the Council will achieve better value from an external operator and it does not have the technical expertise associated with the modern car parking technology.