Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

* This matter has already been called in.  Following reconsideration of the issue in light of the comments made by the Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee, this is the final decision and is not subject to call in.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment introduced the report to make a final decision on Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) following a call in of the decision taken on 18 December 2012.  In outlining the key points within the report, he advised that since the receipt of a petition from Holywell Town Council seeking the removal of charges from the town, a petition had also been received from Buckley residents.  However, it was noted that any decision to withdraw parking charges from all of the Council’s car parks would result in a budget pressure of £194.75K in 2013/14.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment continued by saying that the proposal to maintain free parking at the Halkyn Street car park in Holywell ensured free parking provision in the vicinity of healthcare facilities in each of Flintshire’s town centres and that the suggestion raised by a member of the public for free parking after 3pm had been recognised in the policy.  He added that the policy sought to address historical inconsistencies on parking charges and permits.

The Head of Legal & Democratic Services explained that the Cabinet decision of December 2012 had been called in and that subsequent consideration by the Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee had resulted in a decision to refer the item back to the Cabinet with comments.  Cabinet Members were required to make a final decision by either agreeing to the recommendations in the report or to amend the decision to reflect the concerns put forward by Overview & Scrutiny.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the list of Contravention Codes and Policies on Residents Permits and Disabled Parking Bays shown in Appendix ‘1’ to the report (Appendices ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’) be approved;

(b)       That the ‘Off-Street’ Parking Policy shown in Appendix ‘4’ be approved and delegated authority be granted to the Director of Environment, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, to review the Policy annually and implement any changes, following appropriate consultation;

(c)        That the Summary Business Case shown in Appendix ‘5’ for submission to Welsh Government, as a formal request for CPE powers to be conferred upon Flintshire County Council, be approved;

(d)       That the use of Wales Penalty Processing Partnership {WPPP} to process all Parking Contraventions Notices (PCNs) be approved;

(e)       That delegated authority be granted to the Director of Environment, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, to finalise all detailed aspects of the process, including the matters listed in paragraph 2.09 of the report; and

(f)        That the Cabinet Member for Environment, or their nominated substitute, as the Council’s representative on the Adjudication Joint Committee outlined in paragraph 2.07 of the report, be approved.