Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report that summarised the development of the car parking operation through investment and the introduction of pay on foot, together with the option to introduce Civil Parking Enforcement.  During the discussion the Head of Street Scene and Community was asked to liaise with officers at Redditch Borough Council who had recently introduced Civil Parking Enforcement.  It was noted that it was intended there would be consultation on the operational delivery of the proposals with the Disabled Users Group and the Equality and Diversity Forum.  Following discussion it was

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the purchase of the Chipside software for parking management at a cost of £5,000 to be met from existing budgets be approved;

(b)       that the deletion of the Shopmobility Assistant post and utilisation of the savings together with an additional £6,500 to fund an additional Civil Enforcement Officer be approved;

(c)        that the opening of Shopmobility on Saturday mornings to be funded from savings within the parking service budget be approved;

(d)       that delegated authority be granted to the Head of Street Scene and Community to negotiate an agency agreement for Civil Parking Enforcement with Worcestershire County Council, in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the report and that if an agreement cannot be reached details be reported to Cabinet for further consideration at a future meeting;

(e)       that an additional ten parent and child spaces be provided at various locations within Council car parks;

(f)         that the limited waiting spaces, with the exception of the four spaces for disabled drivers on School Drive car park, be converted back to standard spaces as soon as possible;

(g)       that the Dolphin Centre car park be converted to a permit only car park with effect from 1st January 2010;

(h)        that the Customer Charter and Procedures and Parking Appeal Policy, as set out in the report, be approved and adopted; and that delegated authority be granted to the Head of Street Scene and Community to review the Customer Charter and Procedures and the Parking Appeal Policy and make any revisions or amendments in the future in consultation with the Portfolio Holder;

(i)         that a reduction in parking charges on Hanover Street car park from 80 pence per hour to 70 pence per hour be approved, and that the all day fee on the same car park of £4.00 be reduced to £3.00 with effect from 1st January 2010;

(j)         that a new 30 minute charge of 40 pence be introduced on long stay car parks with effect from 1st January 2010; and

(k)        that a new three hour tariff set at £2.10 be introduced at the  Churchfields Multi-Storey and Stourbridge Road car parks with effect from 1st January 2010.

RECOMMENDED:

(a)       that the increase to the Capital Programme in 2009/2010 of £165,000 to fund the introduction of pay on foot on Recreation Road South and Churchfields car parks to be funded from working balances be approved;

(b)       that the additional funding of £6,000 to be included as part of the medium term financial plan for 2010/2011 to fund increased maintenance costs of the pay on foot system be approved; and

(c)        that the appointment of two additional Civil Enforcement Officers, at a cost of £43,000, to facilitate the operation of the pay on foot parking system be approved.