Agenda item

By way of background information, the report considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 18 October 2011 is attached. Please note this report has been updated since Cabinet as follows:

 

·         A new paragraph (paragraph 8) and appendix (Appendix 3) have been added detailing proposals made by Salisbury City Council, Salisbury City Centre Management and others that were considered by Cabinet on 18 October.

·         Chart 1, Table 2 and paragraphs 36-38 have been amended to take account of revised and updated car parking data.

·         A new appendix (Appendix 5) has been added outlining how the Council is supporting regeneration activities in Wiltshire’s towns.

·         A new paragraph (paragraph 40) and appendix (Appendix 7) have been added providing car park ticket sales and income for each town from April 2010 to September 2011.

 

Public Participation

 

Mr Mike Williams, Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce addressed Council with a copy of his statement having been previously circulated.

 

Council had previously agreed its Car Parking Strategy as part of the Local Transport Plan. Since then, a number of representations had been received suggesting that new parking charges were having a detrimental impact on the retail sector and therefore the economic viability of town centres.

 

Cllr Tonge, Cabinet member for Highways and Transport presented the report previously considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 18 October 2011. It was noted that the report had been updated for the the purposes of this Council meeting to provide further requested information and updated data.

 

The report provided information to enable Council to consider a Countywide analysis of the economic, social and environmental impacts of the current car parking charges.

 

The key conclusions of the report were as follows:

 

(i)           The findings of wider research were that it is what a town or City had to offer that was the primary factor affecting economic health and not parking charges.

(ii)          Parking ticket sales were already in decline before the introduction of the new parking charges in April 2011. Neighbouring local authorities were also reporting a decline in car park usage and/or an income shortfall.

(iii)         A large number of local authorities had either brought in increased parking charges or were considering such a move.  A few had reduced their charges with limited and mixed results.

(iv)         National economic evidence showed that Britain was currently suffering from a period of slow growth, low consumer confidence and squeezed household disposable incomes. The rise of out-of-town shopping centres, large chain stores, supermarkets and the internet had also significantly impacted on the UK’s high street.

(v)          There were signs that some of Wiltshire’s towns were bucking the national trend.

(vi)         Parking charges provided essential Council income to support other services such as local buses and, as a demand management measure, could help the Council and its partners meet CO₂ and air quality targets.

 

Overall, it was considered that if parking charges were broadly appropriate, then the main factors affecting market towns were:

 

• wider economic factors (e.g. consumer confidence);
• societal trends (e.g. supermarket and internet shopping); and
• the actual offer a town makes.

 

The first of these factors was largely international in its origin and scope. The second was largely national. The third was local and is being addressed by the Council in the county’s largest towns through the Vision programmes.

 

The Environment Select Committee had considered the report at its meeting on 1 November 2011 and resolved as follows:

 

1)    To thank the Cabinet member for the opportunity to contribute to the Car Parking review;

 

2)    To recognise the current economic climate and the challenges it presents the Wiltshire public and its business sector;

 

3)    To recognise that due to the legislative process any immediate policy changes on car parking pricing will impact on the 2012/2013 budget; and in response to ask the Cabinet member to inform Council on the service implications of the current (2011/12) shortfall on the Car Parking budget.

 

Questions provided in advance from Cllr David Jenkins were circulated together with responses from Cllr Tonge.

 

Cllr Tonge moved a number of proposals which were duly seconded, details of which were displayed at the meeting.  A debate ensued during which the following points were made:

 

·         Increase in parking charges had a direct bearing on the viability of traders and therefore town centres

·         Parking charges should be reduced given the current economic climate and to show support for struggling retailers

·         Parking charges were damaging high streets

·         People had changed their shopping habits as a result of increased parking charges

·         Impact of increased charges had resulted in empty parking spaces impacting on the Council’s revenue position

·         Should encourage public to use the County’s towns rather than shopping outside the County

·         There was increased usage of some non-charging car parks

·         Some towns had been affected disproportionately

·         Increased bus usage and therefore improvement in air quality

·         Footfall in central Salisbury had increased despite increase in car parking charges

·         Impact on trade was largely as a result of the economic climate

·         Reductions in car parking usage was attributable to increased costs of running a car, eg fuel prices and general increase in cost of living resulting in people shopping more carefully

·         Car parks should be renamed to better represent their location

 

Exception was taken to a section of the report presented which could give the impression that it advocated it was cheaper to buy online. Cllr Tonge explained that reference to ‘secure best prices’ when referring to internet shopping referred to the ability to shop around and identify where best prices could be secured.

 

The following amendment was moved by Cllr Desna Allen and seconded by Cllr Howard Marshall:

 

‘That the Band 3 Market Towns have the first half hour free of charge’.

 

Cllr Tonge responded that he wanted to encourage the public to spend time in towns rather than going into them for very short trips. The Leader also voiced caution over such an amendment and sought clarification on how such a proposal would be funded.

 

On being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST.

 

Following debate the original motion with a further slight amendment was put to the vote and CARRIED and it was therefore

 

Resolved:

 

a)     That there are no increases to on and off street parking charges until 2014 at the earliest.

 

b)     That the one hour charge in Salisbury be reduced by 10p except in the Market Place, and,

 

That the one hour charge in Chippenham and Trowbridge be reduced by 10p.

 

c)     That the prices of standard season tickets and off street residents’ permits be reduced in the order of 20% and that a marketing plan is implemented to promote sales.  That the details of the prices are agreed by the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport by way of the delegated decision following consultation with the appropriate Corporate Director.

That liftshare is marketed to encourage less car usage.

 

d)     That no changes are made to the Salisbury Sunday charge and that officers investigate further with the ticket machine supplier to establish if there is a way to change bank holiday charges in a cost effective way.

 

e)     That in response to the other proposals made by the Salisbury Trade Associations no further changes are made to car parking prices in Salisbury and that officers work closely with the City to market Salisbury, particularly Park and Ride.

 

f)        That the previously approved Car Parking Strategy as included in the LTP 2011-26 adopted by Council on 22 February 2011 be amended to reflect the above changes together with other changes that have been made by Cabinet and Council since it was approved.