Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member for Local Economy on rural car parking arrangements

RESOLVED

(i)         That an annual rural parking disc/permit scheme be introduced at £12 for the first car, £6 for subsequent cars registered at the same address (max four discs/permits per address). An additional £2.50 charge will be applied for non-website and non-direct debit transactions). Disc/permits will take effect from Monday 3rd April 2017. These will be applicable in all Council rural car parks as outlined in the report (with the exclusion of the car parks in Bramber, Upper Beeding and Cowfold) between 9am- 6pm Monday-Saturday (unless otherwise stated) and will exclude Sundays and Bank Holidays.

(ii)        That the leasing of smaller rural car parks at a peppercorn rent or offer of purchase where appropriate to relevant Parishes where their function supports local community hall and open space activities be agreed.

(iii)       That the cost for long-term season tickets be standardised at £130 pa and that they be introduced in areas where facilities do not currently exist.  This will apply from Monday 3rd April 2017. These will be applicable for use in specific car parks only (as indicated on the season ticket) and will be valid (unless otherwise stated) between 9am-6pm Monday-Saturdays (excluding Sundays and Bank Holidays).

(iv)       That the introduction of Pay & Display facilities from 3rd April 2017 in a number of specific car parks be agreed and that the hourly charge for users be set at 75p up to 1 hour and £1.50 for up to 2-3 hours or a reasonable maximum time to be agreed with local Parish Councils where appropriate.  This charge will be applicable in specific rural car parks, as set out in the report, which have Pay & Display facilities between 9am- 6pm Monday-Saturdays (excluding Sundays and Bank Holidays).

(v)        That the capital project costs be funded from existing capital budgets that will not be spent in 2016/17.  A virement of £77,000 from existing corporate capital budgets that will not be spent this year will be made to a new capital rural car parking project code to pay for the 11 car parking machines and phone line installation.  This will enable the scheme to have the infrastructure in place to go live on 3 April 2017.

(vi)       That the Director of Community Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for the Local Economy, be authorised to make any consequential amendments to the implementation of the recommendations contained within this report and undertake a review of the scheme 12 months after implementation.

REASONS

(i)         Annual permits are proposed at a small charge to provide convenience to regular users.

(ii)        A number of village halls have our car parks immediately located next to them. In some cases it is proposed that the car parks are transferred with conditions, free of charge or leased at a peppercorn to each of the relevant Parish Councils.

(iii)       The availability of long term car parking is recognised as a key requirement in rural communities that act as shopping hubs.

(iv)       It is recognised that not all users of rural car parks will want to purchase an annual permit or that they may be a visitor to the area.

(v)        To agree how implementing the scheme will be funded.

(vi)       To ensure the scheme can be implemented within agreed timescales and review is undertaken of the new arrangements in 12 months.

The Cabinet Member for Local Economy reported that, given significant financial pressures placed on the Council due to the complete withdrawal of Government Revenue Support Grant by 2019/20, the Council needed to identify ways to close the funding gap.

Currently, rural car parks were subsidised by approximately £315,000 per annum.  However, this excluded any future investment costs for major improvements such as expansion or re-configuration.  Approval was therefore being sought to change the way rural parks were operated so that the operating costs could be mitigated.

In addition, a standardised approach to operation was proposed across the District to address the current range of complex arrangements in place.

It was acknowledged that certain villages acted as retail hubs primarily for convenience shopping and it was difficult to gauge the willingness of consumers to pay for the convenience of shopping locally.  However, it was considered that the pricing suggested in the report was such that it would not inhibit consumers’ willingness to do so.

The key benefit of the proposal would be improved control which would raise the level of turnover in car parks and free up spaces for more shoppers, with greater enforcement to ensure parkers complied with parking rules.

It was noted that it was proposed to amend the schedule of draft rural car park proposals by removing reference to the car parks in Bramber, Cowfold and Upper Beeding.

                   RESOLVED

                   (i)      That an annual rural parking disc/permit scheme be introduced at £12 for the first car, £6 for subsequent cars registered at the same address (max four discs/permits per address).  (An additional £2.50 charge to be applied for non-website and non-direct debit transactions).  Discs/permits will take effect from Monday 3rd April 2017.  These will be applicable in all Council rural car parks as outlined in the report (with the exclusion of the car parks in Bramber, Upper Beeding and Cowfold) between 9am- 6pm Monday-Saturday (unless otherwise stated) and will exclude Sundays and Bank Holidays.

                   (ii)     That the leasing of smaller rural car parks at a peppercorn rent or offer of purchase where appropriate to relevant Parishes where their function supports local community hall and open space activities be agreed.

                   (iii)     That the cost for long-term season tickets be standardised at £130 pa and that they be introduced in areas where facilities do not currently exist.  This will apply from Monday 3rd April 2017.  These will be applicable for use in specific car parks only (as indicated on the season ticket) and will be valid (unless otherwise stated) between 9am-6pm Monday-Saturdays (excluding Sundays and Bank Holidays).

                   (iv)    That the introduction of Pay & Display facilities from 3rd April 2017 in a number of specific car parks be agreed and that the hourly charge for users be set at 75p up to 1 hour and £1.50 for up to 2-3 hours or a reasonable maximum time to be agreed with local Parish Councils where appropriate.  This charge will be applicable in specific rural car parks, as set out in the report, which have Pay & Display facilities between 9am- 6pm Monday-Saturdays (excluding Sundays and Bank Holidays).

                   (v)     That the capital project costs be funded from existing capital budgets that will not be spent in 2016/17.  A virement of £77,000 from existing corporate capital budgets that will not be spent this year will be made to a new capital rural car parking project code to pay for the 11 car parking machines and phone line installation.  This will enable the scheme to have the infrastructure in place to go live on 3 April 2017.

                   (vi)    That the Director of Community Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Local Economy, be authorised to make any consequential amendments to the implementation of the recommendations contained within this report and undertake a review of the scheme 12 months after implementation.

                   REASONS

                   (i)      Annual permits are proposed at a small charge to provide convenience to regular users.

                   (ii)     A number of village halls have our car parks immediately located next to them. In some cases it is proposed that the car parks are transferred with conditions, free of charge or leased at a peppercorn to each of the relevant Parish Councils.

                   (iii)     The availability of long term car parking is recognised as a key requirement in rural communities that act as shopping hubs.

                   (iv)    It is recognised that not all users of rural car parks will want to purchase an annual permit or that they may be a visitor to the area.

                   (v)     To agree how implementing the scheme will be funded.

                   (vi)    To ensure the scheme can be implemented within agreed timescales and review is undertaken of the new arrangements in 12 months.