Issue - meetings

Item SSE 18/5 referred from Street Scene and Environment Services Advisory Board minutes of 13 February 2018

(Item SSE 18/5 referred from Street Scene and Environment Services Advisory Board minutes of 13 February 2018)

Consideration of recommendations to the Cabinet from the Street Scene and Environment Services Advisory Board of 13 February 2018.

The Cabinet resolved that:

The recommendations of the Street Scene and Environment Services Advisory Board be approved as follows:

Car parking charges should come into effect from 1 April 2018 subject to the following actions being taken in advance of this date:

(1)                 the objections to the increase in off-street parking charges, as detailed in the report, be set aside; and

(2)                 the appropriate Traffic Regulation Order be made to facilitate the variation of the off-street parking charges.

Decision Notice D180024CAB

The report considers objections and comments received during the statutory consultation period relating to the proposed off-street parking charges.

Members considered objections and comments received during the statutory consultation period related to proposed off-street car parking charges.  Responses to the consultation were set out in Annex 1 to the report. 

It was reported that the proposed increases in parking charges were considered realistic and took into account the nature of each town or village and no changes were recommended as a result of the consultation responses.

A further comment had been received from Borough Green Parish Council after the consultation deadline reiterating the point raised by Platt Parish Council that every effort should be made to ensure that it was not financially attractive for commuters to use the Western Road car park rather than the railway car park.

Notice of the proposed changes to car parking fees and charges had been advertised in the Kent Messenger as it had a significant circulation across the whole Borough.  In addition, site notices had been displayed in all the car parks.

The Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Environment Services reminded Members of the significant financial implications of placing adverts in newspapers and that the Borough Council had a responsibility to consider costs as part of the Savings and Transformation Strategy and the Medium Term Financial Strategy to avoid any impact on services.  Regular users of the car parks would have seen the notices displayed and should have been aware of the proposed changes to fees and charges.

RECOMMENDED: That car parking charges should come into effect from 1 April 2018; subject to the following actions being taken in advance of this date:

(i)     the objections to the increase in off-street parking charges, as detailed in the report, be set aside; and

(ii)    the appropriate Traffic Regulation Order be made to facilitate the variation of the off-street parking charges

*Referred to Cabinet