Decision details

Decision:

(1)        To continue with the proposed short stay car park price increase as set out in option 2, but to authorise the Waste Parking and Fleet Services Manager, in consultation with the relevant lead councillor and Director of Resources, to review the charge in January 2021 and to cancel the increase if the recovery from Covid is likely, in their view, to be negatively affected by this increase.

(2)        To make no changes to Sunday tariffs for all car parks.

(3)        To reallocate Leapale Road as “short stay” and bring prices into line with neighbouring short stay surface car parks.

(4)        To introduce a new shopper offer, Monday to Saturday, based on the flat rate option 3 in paragraph 12.3 of the report submitted to the Executive.

(5)        To note the performance of Parking Services in 2019-20, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.

(6)        To continue with cash car park payments for the present but keep under review as part of ongoing developments in this area.

Reasons:

·       To respond to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic;

·       To support local business and residents

·       To support the recovery and stabilisation of the town

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

Option 1 - No increase on pricing, no change to currentsituation. If Option 1 was chosen, the forecasted 2020-21 budget for off-street would have been circa £8,366,420, which is based on actuals from 2019-20, prior to Covid19 impact. However, Covid19 and uncertainty over the speed and scale of economic recovery makes it difficult to predict the likely revenues with any degree of certainty.

Option 2 – to further increase the rate for the 4 most convenient surface car parks in the town centre by 10 pence per hour for the first 3 hours, it is estimated to generate a 3.2% increase in revenue of £41,000 per annum if 2019/20 figures are used to predict. 

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None