Agenda item - Churchfields Multi Storey Car Park Improvement Report

Agenda item

Churchfields Multi Storey Car Park Improvement Report

Minutes:

The Environmental Services Manager presented a report detailing the proposed improvement works for Churchfields Multi-Storey Car Park.  During the delivery of this presentation he highlighted a number of points for Members’ consideration:

 

·                Officers were requesting improvement works to address problems with vandalism and anti-social behaviour in the car park.  It was proposed that these works should be funded from balances.

·                Criminal damage and anti-social behaviour had been reported at the site since December 2014.

·                In June 2015 West Mercia Police, in consultation with the Community Safety team, had produced a report assessing design features at the car park, with a focus on aspects that placed the venue at risk of vandalism and anti-social behaviour.  This report had identified various security weaknesses which were being exploited by people accessing the car park after hours.

·                The report proposed that additional fencing be installed to help prevent access outside normal opening hours.

·                Officers were proposing that the doors which provided access to the stairwells should be replaced to enhance security.  This work needed to be undertaken before any attempts were made to redecorate the stairwells as otherwise there was a risk that new paintwork would be vandalised before it could be secured.

·                There was an opportunity to upgrade the lighting at the same time which would improve feelings of customer safety in the car park.

·                A recent fire risk assessment had found that the fire alarm system in the carpark needed to be upgraded and this could be completed as part of the improvement works.

·                Since the report was originally published new locations had been identified where people were accessing the car park out of hours. 

·                There was a risk that if the Council postponed the improvement works that were being proposed in the report the financial costs required to complete the works would increase.

 

After the presentation of this report Members discussed the following points:

 

·                The positive impact that the improvement works would have, in terms of a reduction in anti-social behaviour and criminal damage in the car park.

·                The relatively recent emergence of the car park as a focus for vandalism and anti-social behaviour and the need to address this problem as soon as possible.

·                The work of the police to address problems with anti-social behaviour and crime in the car park, including the use of Section 34 dispersal powers.

·                The income from Churchfields car park and the potential impact that these improvement works might have on future income.  Members were advised that the Council received an income of £88,000 per year and that it was difficult to predict the impact of the works on future demand as this could also be influenced by other factors such as the availability of other parking spaces in the town.

·                The potential for the improvement works to be paid for using existing Council budgets.  Officers advised that it would be more appropriate to pay for these works using funding from balances as there was no designated budget for the works.

·                The potential for at least part of the expenditure on these works to be covered by insurance.  Members were advised that the costs involved fell below the insurance threshold.

 

RESOLVED that the following proposals from Officers concerning improvement works to Churchfields Multi-Storey Car Park be endorsed:

 

1)        Cabinet agree the improvement works; and

2)        Cabinet recommend to Council the approval of, including the works within the 2015/16 Capital Programme, of £80,500 and to approve the funding to be released from balances.

 

Supporting documents: