Issue - meetings

The Board considered a briefing paper in respect of the decline in car park usage in the town centre and a marketing campaign to increase usage, which had been prepared following its request at the meeting held on 16th July 2012.  The Environmental Services Manager explained that car park usage had declined in the town centre during the first quarter of 2012/13 by approximately 2% and gave details of the potential affect of this on the income budget for 2012/13.  Officers confirmed that there was a national decline in car park usage, with some councils having recorded an 11% reduction in short stay car park usage.

The Board discussed the following areas in more detail:

• How the Council could be more pro-active in addressing this decrease in usage; in particular the possible reduction of car parking charges and how the Council could do more to make the town a more attractive destination for visitors from outside of the district. 
• The costs involved in maintaining the car parks and the payment machines and therefore taking up a significant proportion of the revenue collected.
• That car park charges were relatively low compared to other areas and that pricing was not the main issue.
• The difficulty in measuring the impact that the reduction in car parking usage had made at other local authorities (Officers confirmed that this information was difficult to access).
• Members commented that collecting usage figures on a monthly rather than quarterly basis could more clearly identify patterns that could then be appropriately acted upon (Officers agreed to consider this).
• Members discussed free parking, loss of income and the impact of this on both Council Tax and budgets.

Members were informed that once the shared service arrangement with Wychavon District Council had stabilised a full parking review would be undertaken followed by a marketing campaign.  This was to be carried out in 2013 and following any changes which could be made following the result of the survey as detailed in Minute No. 31/12 being considered by Cabinet and the introduction of civil parking enforcement, which was due to commence in April 2013.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.