Issue - meetings

Report No: CAB/WS/20/021

Portfolio Holder: Cllr Peter Stevens          

Lead Officers: Darren Dixon and Mark Walsh

RESOLVED:

That:-

1.           Those matters referred to it by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in its report “Recommendations of the Extraordinary Overview and Scrutiny Committee 23 January 2020: West Suffolk Parking Review Group”, recommendations 3-10 (Report No: CAB/WS/20/020) be noted.

2.           The Parking Petition submitted on 24 January 2020 be noted.

3.           The recommendations in respect of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee referrals, as set out in Section 2 of Report No: CAB/WS/20/021, be agreed.

4.           The recommendation in Section 3 of Report No: CAB/WS/20/021, not to give two free days parking in market towns, be agreed.

5.           The recommendations in Section 4 in respect of Newmarket and, in particular, the Parking Plan as attached at Appendix 1 of Report No: CAB/WS/20/021, be agreed, subject to the following amendments:

Appendix 1: Draft Newmarket Parking Plan and Recommendations: Table 1:

-      Proposed off street tariffs – Rous Road

3 hrs - £1.00

be amended to

2 hrs - £1.00

-      Guineas

Inclusion of Weekly Charge - £10.00

6.           The Portfolio Holder for Operations be delegated to approve any changes needed to the Traffic Regulation Order, to accommodate any reasonable requirements from third party car park landlords.

(Report No: CAB/WS/20/021)

Prior to the consideration of this report by the Cabinet, Councillor Peter Stevens, Portfolio Holder for Operations reiterated that, as had been mentioned earlier in the meeting, it was not just the issue of car parking charges which were relevant to the health and well-being of Town Centres and that there was a more wider debate to be had to address the decline of Town Centres generally.

The Cabinet then considered this report which explained that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting on 23 January 2020, considered a report by the West Suffolk Car Parking Review Group (Report No: CAB/WS/20/020 referred).  Since the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting had been held, a petition had been received by the Council calling for free parking in Bury St Edmunds and other market towns, as set out in Section 3 of Report No: CAB/WS/20/021.

A number of recommendations were made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, of which eight referred matters to the Cabinet for further consideration.  This report provided more information on the referrals in order for Cabinet to be able to reach a decision.

Councillor Stevens also specifically referred to page 143 of the agenda papers which set out the draft Newmarket Parking Plan and recommendations.  Councillor Stevens referred to the concerns raised earlier in the meeting with regard to the unsatisfactory state of the car park surfaces in Newmarket and confirmed that a programme of works for the refurbishment of these car parks would be undertaken at the earliest opportunity from April 2020.  These works would be started, as and when deemed most appropriate, taking into account weather conditions and the avoidance of conflicting with race days.

Whilst considering this report, the Cabinet also proposed the following amendments, to Appendix 1; Table 1 (Draft Newmarket Parking Plan and Recommendations):

-      Proposed off street tariffs – Rous Road

     3 hrs - £1.00 be amended to 2 hrs - £1.00

-      Guineas

Weekly Charge - £10.00

The Cabinet also proposed an additional recommendation, as follows:

6.The Portfolio Holder for Operations be delegated to approve any changes needed to the Traffic Regulation Order, to accommodate any reasonable requirements from third party car park landlords.

RESOLVED:

That:-

1.           Those matters referred to it by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in its report “Recommendations of the Extraordinary Overview and Scrutiny Committee 23 January 2020: West Suffolk Parking Review Group”, recommendations 3-10 (Report No: CAB/WS/20/020) be noted.

2.           The Parking Petition submitted on 24 January 2020 be noted.

3.           The recommendations in respect of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee referrals, as set out in Section 2 of Report No: CAB/WS/20/021, be agreed.

4.           The recommendation in Section 3 of Report No: CAB/WS/20/021, not to give two free days parking in market towns, be agreed.

5.           The recommendations in Section 4 in respect of Newmarket and, in particular, the Parking Plan as attached at Appendix 1 of Report No: CAB/WS/20/021, be agreed, subject to the following amendments:

Appendix 1:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104