Agenda item

To consult the Corporate Resources and Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committees on the Review of Car Parking Charges.

(a)       That Cabinet be asked to consider adjusting the schedule to £0.30 for 1 hour from £0.30 for 30 minutes (only for those towns where the 30 minutes charge is shown in the schedule/appendix);

(b)       That the Committee request a breakdown of the management/maintenance costs for both 2017/18 and 2018/19 according to the budget heads listed in the report – showing exact and estimated/apportioned as necessary;

(c)        That the Committee request the full list of County charged and non-charged car parks; and

(d)       That the Democratic Services Manager present the formal response of the Corporate Resources and Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committees to Cabinet at its meeting on 20 March 2018.  

The Democratic Services Manager introduced the report and explained why the consultation was being conducted through a joint meeting of two Overview & Scrutiny Committees (Corporate Resources and Environment).  As the review of car parking charges had both budget and car park operational sides, and the review of charges was an outstanding issue from the full Council budget meetings, a joint meeting was appropriate - Corporate Resources being the lead committee for budget scrutiny and Environment the lead committee for car parking policy and operations

            The Chief Executive reminded Members that during the County Council meeting held on 20 February 2018, there had been a collective agreement to increase the income target for car parking by £450,000 for the 2018/19 financial year.  He recognised that there might be differing views on how to achieve the target and reminded members that securing the target was a collective responsibility.

            The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) introduced the proposals for revised charges, and details of the arrangements and commencement date for the deferred introduction of car charges in Flint.  Car parking charges had previously been discussed by Members of the Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee which was made open to all Council Members on 16 January 2018.  During the meeting, a number of suggestions had been made by Members on the charging options and detailed explanations of which of the suggestions had been accommodated and the reasons why some had not been taken forward were outlined within the report.

            The Chief Officer concluded that the opportunity to offer some free on-street parking, close to town centres, had been examined and that the Council was consulting with two Town Councils on the potential to remove pedestrianisation orders which would allow vehicles back into the High Streets.  Town councils could consider subsidising car parking charges in their areas.  Any proposals would need to ensure that corporate car parking income targets were met.  The car parking charging system would be kept under review.    

            The Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Countryside apologised that a suggestion made by Councillor Mike Peers during the Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 16 January 2018 to increase the minimum stay to 1 hour for 30p had not been included in the report.  She assured Members that this suggestion had been considered but had been found to be unaffordable.  She commented on the importance of ensuring the viability of town centres and explained that the increased car parking charges would cover the management costs of car parks across Flintshire.       

            The Leader of the Council welcomed the scrutiny process in considering the proposed car parking charges and said that the comments from the meeting would be taken into consideration by Cabinet at its meeting on 20 March 2018.  He commented on the challenging budget process and his concern that if car parking charges were not increased to meet the full costs of providing the service then savings would have to be found elsewhere within the Council to balance up the budget.  He said that local car parking charges would still be comparatively low.   

A summary of the observations made by Members is attached at Appendix 1 of the minutes.

Following the debate, the Chief Executive advised that the following information would be collated in advance of the Cabinet meeting on 20 March 2018:-

• Evaluate and costs of the Committee proposal to adjust the schedule to £0.30 for 1 hour from £0.30 for 30 minutes (only for those towns where the 30 minutes charge is shown in the schedule/appendix);

• A breakdown of the management/maintenance costs for both 2017/18 and 2018/19 according to the budget heads listed in the report – showing exact and estimated/apportioned as necessary; and

• The full list of County charged and non-charged car parks.

            It was proposed by Councillor Heesom that the recommendations to Cabinet be supported, subject to the points outlined by the Chief Executive.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That Cabinet be asked to consider adjusting the schedule to £0.30 for 1 hour from £0.30 for 30 minutes (only for those towns where the 30 minutes charge is shown in the schedule/appendix);

(b)       That the Committee request a breakdown of the management/maintenance costs for both 2017/18 and 2018/19 according to the budget heads listed in the report – showing exact and estimated/apportioned as necessary;

(c)        That the Committee request the full list of County charged and non-charged car parks; and

(d)       That the Democratic Services Manager present the formal response of the Corporate Resources and Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committees to Cabinet at its meeting on 20 March 2018.