At its meeting on 12 June 2018 the Executive considered a report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Executive Document “B”) on objections and other proposals suggested in response to the formal advertisement of amendments to the Off-Street Parking Places Consolidation Order 2015.

The Executive resolved –

That the objections are overruled and the Off-street Parking Places Consolidation Order 2015 is amended to incorporate the changes highlighted in Appendix A to Document “B” – ‘Second Schedule, Off-Street Parking Places’.

The Executive’s decision has been called-in. The reasons for the call-in are set out below:

·         The report upon which the decision was based, suggests an increase in income of £13,000 via price increases and up to £40,000 per year from new charges, but provides no indication of whether these figures are based upon current visitor levels, or whether due consideration has been given to the likelihood of some customer resistance to the charges, resulting in lower visitor numbers than at present.

·         The report fails to clarify whether the Council has given due consideration to the possibility that increased parking charge revenue may be reduced or offset by business rate revenue reductions, should businesses close down, due to reduced visitor numbers and thus spending, resulting from customer resistance to the charges.

·         The report makes no mention of the cost of introducing and enforcing the new charges, so it was not possible at the time the decision was taken, for the Executive to consider these implications.

In accordance with paragraph 8.6.9 of Part 3E of the Constitution Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee can, following consideration of the matter, resolve to:

(1) Release the decision for implementation

(2)Refer all or part of the decision back to the Executive to reconsider it in the light of any representations the committee may make. The decision may not be implemented until the Executive has met to reconsider its earlier decision.

(3)Refer the decision to full Council for consideration, in which case the decision may not be implemented until the Council has met to consider the matter.

If the Committee makes no resolution, in accordance with paragraph 8.6.10 of Part E of the Constitution, the decision may be implemented.

At its meeting on 12 June 2018 the Executive considered a report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Executive Document “B”) on objections and other proposals suggested in response to the formal advertisement of amendments to the Off-Street Parking Places Consolidation Order 2015.

The Executive resolved –

That the objections are overruled and the Off-street Parking Places Consolidation Order 2015 is amended to incorporate the changes highlighted in Appendix A to Document “B” – ‘Second Schedule, Off-Street Parking Places’.

The Executive’s decision had been called-in. The reasons for the call-in were set out below:

·         The report upon which the decision was based, suggests an increase in income of £13,000 via price increases and up to £40,000 per year from new charges, but provides no indication of whether these figures are based upon current visitor levels, or whether due consideration has been given to the likelihood of some customer resistance to the charges, resulting in lower visitor numbers than at present.

·         The report failed to clarify whether the Council had given due consideration to the possibility that increased parking charge revenue may be reduced or offset by business rate revenue reductions, should businesses close down, due to reduced visitor numbers and thus spending, resulting from customer resistance to the charges.

·         The report made no mention of the cost of introducing and enforcing the new charges, so it was not possible at the time the decision was taken, for the Executive to consider these implications.

In accordance with paragraph 8.6.9 of Part 3E of the Constitution Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee can, following consideration of the matter, resolve to:

(1)       Release the decision for implementation.

(2)       Refer all or part of the decision back to the Executive to reconsider it in the light of any representations the committee may make. The decision may not be implemented until the Executive has met to reconsider its earlier decision.

(3)       Refer the decision to full Council for consideration, in which case         the decision may not be implemented until the Council has met to             consider the matter.

If the Committee made no resolution, in accordance with paragraph 8.6.10 of Part E of the Constitution, the decision may be implemented.

The Bradford East Area Coordinator was in attendance and with the invitation of the Chair she gave a synopsis of Executive Document “B”. She explained that in February 2016 and 2017, full budget Council approved a range of changes to on and off-street parking across the district. This included amendments to charges, an extension of hours, the introduction of charges and the removal of free periods for parking.

It was further explained that figures had been based on other car park charges for a number of years and that the service had not undertaken a detailed user study as it seemed that the income targets were fairly reasonable. The service had focused on where charges could be increased and no complaints had been received by businesses due to the result of no impact on businesses. At most sites, new parking charges had already been implemented with the locations of new machines that cost in the region of £2,700.

A question and answer session ensued:

·         What was the cost of enforcement activity and the projected revenue?

o   Council Wardens would undertake this role and they also currently worked evenings and weekends. There would not be any additional costs for out of hour’s enforcement;

·         Were foreseeable additional costs anticipated?

o   None;

·         Would it not be unfair to have people coming to the city centre on an evening for a night out and for them to pay full parking charges in order to leave their cars return home in a taxi, including weekends for the sole purpose of refraining from drink driving?

o   The cost incurred for the night would be a £1 set fee and a further extension of the same value for the morning after 0800;

During the discussion, the following points were made:

·         The rise of costs in cities around the UK were the result of reduction of resources from Central Government and therefore Councillors were having to endure the tasks of making difficult decisions affecting people;

·         Inner city Bradford may not have received complaints to the costs of new car park charges but this was not the case in the Silsden area. Residents had raised concerns to the fact the business owners were parking on their streets to prevent paying the rising costs of parking charges;

·         Many families were coming from the outer areas of Ilkley for events, activities at the Lido Centre and parking in residential areas;

o   In response to comment, Enforcement Officers could be requested to visit locations of concern.

·         Such issues of displacements would fall into the area of Area Committees and each respective Area Committee would deal with its own respective area highway concerns; and,

It was unfortunate that Area Committees were also enduring the strain of highway financial constraints.

Resolved –

That the decision be released for implementation.

ACTION: Strategic Director, Place