Agenda item

The Chairman welcomed Mr Grainger to the meeting.  Mr Grainger thanked the Chairman and Members for the opportunity to speak and gave a short presentation (details as set out in Essential Reference Paper ‘A’ to these Minutes) explaining why the off-street car park (used for the benefit of local residents) was so important to local residents. 

The Parking Manager provided the background to the parcel of land used as a local car park.  The Officer explained that the car park had spaces for approximately 22 vehicles and that it was leased and managed by the local Residents’ Association, which paid the Council a rent of £300 per annum. 

The Parking Manager explained that the original proposal to include the car park within the existing on-street permit parking scheme, which would make the car park available to all householders in the area, had evoked strong interest from ward councillors and local residents.  The proposal was withdrawn and the matter referred to this Committee for further discussion.  The Parking Manager confirmed that, since the introduction of the on-street parking scheme in “Newtown”, there have been no complaints claiming a lack of on-street parking in the area.  As such, the Parking Manager confirmed that the service had no current interest in absorbing the car park into the surrounding “Newtown” residents’ permit parking scheme.

Councillor Mrs M H Goldspink thanked the Executive and the Chairman for allowing Members to consider the matter further following a decision to “call in” the issue.  She explained how well the car park was managed and how closely tied in and necessary the car park was to the community. 

Councillor Goldspink stated that if the car park was taken back by the Council, then the fine balance of the area would be upset and parking would go further afield.  She explained how two particular local businesses relied on the car spaces and that should the car park be lost, the commercial and community viability of their businesses might be compromised.

Councillor Goldspink emphasised that there was no need for the Council to take back the car park.  Residents paid rent to the Council and the Residents’ Association managed the car park.  She added that individual residents also paid their own Council Resident Parking Permit and of the damage which would ensue to local businesses if the Council took back the car park.  Councillor Goldspink urged Members to allow the current arrangement to continue.

Councillor K A Barnes supported a request that the existing arrangement be allowed to continue adding that the arrangement worked well for the area.

Councillor G McAndrew drew Members’ attention to the report which stated that the Parking Service had confirmed that it had no current interest in absorbing the car parking into the surrounding “Newtown” resident permit parking scheme on traffic management grounds, as on-street parking provision in the area appeared sufficient for residents’ current needs. 

Councillor N C Poulton drew Members’ attention to the options contained in the report now submitted, specifically that should the car park not be absorbed into the surrounding on-street scheme as there was no evidence it was needed.  He stated that the report referred to the fact that other options for its future might arise including allowing the current arrangements to continue indefinitely, or that this might necessitate revising the current rent or even selling the land. 

Members supported a request that the car park be not absorbed and that the matter be referred back to the Portfolio Holder for decision in the light of Members’ comments and the contribution from the public as detailed at Essential Reference Paper ‘A’ to these Minutes.

RESOLVED – that that the matter be referred back to the Portfolio Holder for decision together with Members’ comments and the contribution from the Residents’ Association, as detailed at Essential Reference Paper ‘A’ to these Minutes.