Decision Maker: Environment Committee
Decision status: Refused
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Decisions:
Upon the invitation of the Chair, the Group
Head of Technical Services introduced the report to the Committee.
He introduced the Interim Parking Services Manager to Committee,
who was also in attendance to help answer questions from Members.
He explained The Council’s car parks were important assets
for directly contributing to the delivery of the Council’s
Vision aims, and indirectly through generating revenue to support
delivery of other Council services. This report set out a proposal
to commission a review of the Council’s off-street parking
services, which would be carried out by external consultants using
existing resources to make recommendations on how to obtain best
value from these assets. He highlighted paragraphs 4.5-4.18, which
was the proposed scope, and he continued to go through each one.
The recommendations from the proposed review would be reported back
to the Environment Committee for consideration and
implementation.
Members then
took part in a question-and-answer session and the following points
were made:
- Clarification was sought on some of
the wording used in the report, which was provided by the Group
Head of Technical Services.
- It was asked whether another report
would be brought back to the Committee for the final scope of the
review to be presented. The Group Head of Technical Services
confirmed the scope was set out in this report.
- There was concern about trying to
increase the revenue generated from car parks during a
recession.
- It was felt that trying to predict
how demand would change over the next 15 years would be a
challenge.
- One Member felt it was clear which
car parks were under-used and over-used, and a review was
unnecessary.
- It was felt this was not the time to
spend money on such a review due to the cost of living crisis.
- In what timeframe would the review
take place, and would regular updates be provided to Members? The
Group Head of Technical Services predicted this would take around 3
months to complete, and a report would be brought back to the
Environment Committee.
- A
breakdown of the figures was requested, such as how much car parks
cost to run and how much income was generated from these. The Group
Head of Technical Services would provide an update to Members
outside of the meeting.
- It was thought Fitzleet Car park was under-used. A Member of the
Committee had previously suggested that improved signage should be
installed. It was requested that this be looked at by
Officers.
- It was suggested that a Park and
Ride scheme be looked into by Officers.
- Support was offered for alternatives
to increasing more cars and looking at schemes such as Park and
Ride.
- Would electric charging points be
included in the review? Consideration should be given to making
sure these were accessible for everyone. The Chair explained that
the largest electric vehicle charging point project in Europe was
currently taking place in the area.
The following
recommendation was proposed by Councillor Chace and seconded by
Councillor Edwards:
1)
that a
Parking Services Review be commissioned, and;
2) the
scope of the Parking Services Review (as set
out in paragraphs 4.5
– 4.18)
Upon taking the
vote, this was LOST and therefore the Committee RESOLVED NOT TO
commission a Parking Services Review.
Publication date: 01/12/2022
Date of decision: 17/11/2022
Decided at meeting: 17/11/2022 - Environment Committee
Accompanying Documents: