Issue - meetings

(The Chairman agreed to the consideration of this item as a matter of urgency as a decision was required prior to the next meeting of the Cabinet to enable the additional day of free car parking to take place during the Christmas period.)

The Head of Street Scene and Community reported that following the recent reduction in VAT to 15 percent it would be impractical and financially unviable to amend the car parking charges to reflect this until the end of the financial year. It was therefore suggested that in order to provide some recompense to the community, car parking charges be suspended for an additional day on Saturday, 6th December 2008. The loss of income would be approximately equal to the amount gained from the VAT changes.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that an additional day’s “free parking” be approved to take effect on Saturday, 6th December 2008 and that this be publicised as appropriate; and

(b)       that in view of the urgency of the matter and to enable the proposal to be brought into effect, the Cabinet’s decision be not subject to the Council’s call-in procedure as set out in the Scrutiny Procedure Rules.