Agenda item

*RESOLVED –

1.   That the recommended increases to the fees and charges for car parks, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the officer’s report, be approved for implementation from Monday 1 April 2024.

2.   That a revision to the current Residents Parking Scheme, to introduce a one-off tariff of £1 before 10am (Monday to Saturday) and a one-off tariff of £2 after 3pm (Monday to Saturday) and a one-off tariff of £2 on a Sunday (all day) and £2 on Bank Holidays (all day), be approved.

3.   That the Service Director for Leisure, Culture and Community Wellbeing, be delegated authority with the Cabinet Member for Town Centre and Visitor Economy, to apply appropriate negotiated fees and charges for new activities and opportunities that arise during the period covered by this report.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS

1.   The Council continues to face significant financial challenges. The sustained period of austerity since 2010, the ongoing risks and uncertainties over future funding arrangements, the budgetary impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and a sustained period of exceptionally high inflation, have all impacted on the Council’s financial position.

2.   The Council’s budget strategy is to deliver a balanced and sustainable budget. Given the forecast budget deficits it is important that all potential increases to income streams are implemented as soon as possible to help mitigate these pressures.

3.   It is therefore prudent to implement an uplift to assist the Council in achieving a balanced budget for 2024-25 and to continue to recover ground on the increasing costs associated with the delivery of car parking and other town centre operations.

The Town Centre Operations Manager presented a report recommending the proposed fees and charges for council owned car parks for the financial year 2024/25, to be implemented from 1 April 2024.

It was reported that the new fees and charges policy adopted by Cabinet on 12 December 2023 proposed that all fees and charges should be reviewed on an annual basis.

Car parking fees and charges had historically been reviewed on a two-yearly cycle. The recent Car Parking Study had however recommended moving to an annual review of fees and charges to ensure price increases took account of changes in in-year costs and inflation. This change in practice was reflected in the officer’s report and would be the approach going forwards.

The proposed fees and charges were set out in Appendix 1 of the officer’s report and had been based on a robust assessment of the impact of in-year cost increases, current demand and the Council’s overall financial position.

The report also documented the outcomes of the review that had been undertaken of the current free residents parking scheme that provided free parking before 10am and after 3pm from Monday to Saturday, and free all day parking on Sundays and Bank Holidays to Borough residents on selected car parks. The removal of the scheme was not recommended as it supported both residents and town centre businesses to make use of the town centre. However, the introduction of a small charge to use the scheme was viewed as both realistic and sustainable given the nature and extent of the current financial pressures facing the Council.

It was therefore recommended that users of the scheme would pay a fee of £1 before 10am and £2 after 3pm from Monday to Saturday, and £2 on Sundays Bank Holidays (all day). It was estimated that this change could achieve additional income £126,305 per annum, as detailed in Appendix 3 of the officer’s report.

It was noted that increasing car parking the fees and charges would assist the Council in delivering a balanced budget for 2024/25 and help relieve pressure on the Council’s Medium-Term Financial Plan.

It was anticipated that increasing the fees and charges to the levels recommended would potentially raise an additional £234,000 of income over a twelve-month period. This figure included an assumed attrition rate of 5%.

Councillor Holmes asked for his vote to be recorded against the Cabinet’s decisions to approve the recommendations in the car parking fees and charges report.

*RESOLVED –

1.   That the recommended increases to the fees and charges for car parks, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the officer’s report, be approved for implementation from Monday 1 April 2024.

2.   That a revision to the current Residents Parking Scheme, to introduce a one-off tariff of £1 before 10am (Monday to Saturday) and a one-off tariff of £2 after 3pm (Monday to Saturday) and a one-off tariff of £2 on a Sunday (all day) and £2 on Bank Holidays (all day), be approved.

3.   That the Service Director for Leisure, Culture and Community Wellbeing, be delegated authority with the Cabinet Member for Town Centre and Visitor Economy, to apply appropriate negotiated fees and charges for new activities and opportunities that arise during the period covered by this report.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS

1.   The Council continues to face significant financial challenges. The sustained period of austerity since 2010, the ongoing risks and uncertainties over future funding arrangements, the budgetary impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and a sustained period of exceptionally high inflation, have all impacted on the Council’s financial position.

2.   The Council’s budget strategy is to deliver a balanced and sustainable budget. Given the forecast budget deficits it is important that all potential increases to income streams are implemented as soon as possible to help mitigate these pressures.

3.   It is therefore prudent to implement an uplift to assist the Council in achieving a balanced budget for 2024-25 and to continue to recover ground on the increasing costs associated with the delivery of car parking and other town centre operations.