For Members to agree the reviewed charges and penalty charges.

Members were reminded that, at the 16.7.14 meeting of the Business & Town Centre Committee it was resolved that the Council would introduce a £2.00 charge for parking between 7pm and 6am Monday to Sunday for a trial period, and that a report would be brought back to the Committee on 23.2.15 with the outcome of the trial.

The trial period commenced on 20.10.14, and was introduced in the following car parks; Chatham Way, William Hunter Way, Friars Avenue and Hunters Avenue.

Throughout the trial period officers monitored the income and any official comments/complaints that had been made. To date there had been no official complaints to the introduction of this charge.

The trial period had shown a positive impact on income, and it was

estimated that an additional £60,000 would be added to the 2015/16 budget.

As noted in the report of 16.7.14, it was the intention of the Council to use any additional income in a positive way to reduce other fees. It was therefore proposed that the additional income from night time parking be used to reduce the full day parking charge, which was proposed to reduce from £10.50 down to £8.00.

Further charges were proposed which would assist local part-time workers on a low income. It was proposed that Westbury Road car park would become available to those workers on a Saturday, but to ensure that any changes were at nil cost to the Council,  payment  would be required  through the pay-by-phone system. A weekly pay-by-phone rate was also proposed to be introduced in William Hunter Way, with a Monday to Friday charge of £30.00.

Cllr Kendall MOVED and Cllr Keeble SECONDED the recommendations in the report and following a full discussion a recorded vote was requested in accordance with Rule 9.5 of the  Council’s Procedure Rules.   Members voted as follows:

FOR: Cllrs Keeble, Kendall, Newberry, Quirk and Sapwell (5)

AGAINST:  Cllrs Hossack, Mrs Murphy, Reed, Russell  and Ms Sanders  (5)

The Chair exercised his casting vote and the MOTION was CARRIED.  It was therefore RESOLVED that:

1. Members agree to retain the £2.00 evening charge in Chatham Way and William Hunter Way.

2. Members agree to retain the evening charge in Friars Avenue and Hunter Avenue until 1st April 2015, and reintroduce this on completion of the Crossrail project in Shenfield.

3. Members agree to introduce a £30.00 weekly charge in William Hunter  Way through the pay by phone system only.

4. Members agree to introduce a Saturday workers fee in Westbury Road car park of £4.00, which must be paid through the pay-by phone system.

5. Members approve the reduction in the all day parking fee from £10.50 to £8.00

6. Members agree that Officers commence the process of making the alterations to the off street parking places consolidation order 2012 to reflect the changes.

7. Members agree to introduce the standard parking charges to the Town Hall visitor car park, and that this is included within the off street parking places consolidation order 2012.

8. Members agree to establish a cross party working group to develop a long-term Car Parking Strategy for the Borough.