Agenda item

Members are asked to consider the report of the Democratic Services Manager which asks the Committee to consider the Call In of the decision made in respect of report E/20/9 – Review of Car Parking Tariffs 2020 which was made by the Executive at their meeting on 3 September 2020.

The Committee received the report of the Democratic Services Manager which asked the Committee to consider the Call In of the decision made in respect of report E/20/9 – Review of Car Parking Tariffs 2020 by the Executive at their meeting on 3 September 2020.

Also present at the meeting were three Executive Members; the Deputy Leader, Councillor R Musgrave, Councillor C Lunn, Lead Executive Member for Finance and Resources and Councillor D Buckle, Lead Executive Member for Communities and Development.

The Chair of the Committee explained in more detail the reasons for the call-in. Those Members that had called the matter in felt that the decision did not meet the Council’s priority of delivering great value, and were also concerned around the lack of consultation with local groups and organisations such as parish councils, Community Engagement Forums and the Selby STEP. Members were also of the opinion that there was no evidence or explanation relating to the description of Tadcaster’s ‘fragile economy’.

The Scrutiny Committee were asked to recommend one of the following options:

·         Refer the decision back to the Executive for reconsideration.

·         Agree with the decision made by the Executive and take no further

action.

·         Refer the decision to Council.

In response to queries from the Committee, the Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Communities and Development explained that the same charges had been in place for nine years, and that the proposed changes were needed to improve the shopping experience for people and ensure more cashless payments could be made, as more people no longer carried cash with them on a regular basis.

The Executive Members felt that the report presented to them on 3 September 2020 was comprehensive and well considered, and that the approach to car parking across the District (by differing the approach from place to place, i.e. Selby and Tadcaster) was necessary in the absence of a single parking strategy for the whole area.

The Deputy Leader explained that discussions were underway between the Council and a major landowner about regeneration, which could result in opportunities and investment for the town. Tadcaster’s central area contained significant history and heritage which could be bettered measurably. The Deputy Leader suggested that the best way to support the local economy in Tadcaster was to support the regeneration of the town through investment.

Scrutiny Committee Members expressed the importance of retaining the ability to pay with cash in car parks and warned against increasing parking charges which could potentially stop people coming into town to shop and use services. They also reflected on the ongoing problem with the central car park in Tadcaster which was usually full of the cars of commuters to Leeds and workers in the town, subsequently not leaving many spaces for shoppers or visitors during the day.

The Lead Executive Member for Communities and Development explained that people would still be able to pay using both cash and card, and that car park tariffs were remaining the same apart from the introduction of a £1 tariff for one hour in Selby shirt stay car parks.

The Scrutiny Committee also mentioned the issues in Selby with parking on residential roads, which put pressure on local people and was often inconvenient. The Executive Members agreed that all day parking on the street, particularly near people’s homes, was not acceptable.

The Chair of the Committee summed up the debate and reminded Members of the three options before them; referral back to the Executive, no further action or referral to Council.

It was proposed that the Committee agree with the decision of the Executive and take no further action, but this motion was not seconded and therefore fell.

The Committee felt that further consideration was required on the matter before them, and as such it was then proposed and seconded that the matter be referred to Council for a decision. A vote was taken on the proposal and was carried.

RESOLVED:

That the decision be referred to Council, for the following reasons:

·           the Scrutiny Committee were not convinced of the fullness of the report or the meaning behind the description of the ‘fragile economy’ of Tadcaster;

·           concerns around the split between Selby and Tadcaster;

·           the lack of consultation with local communities in Selby, Tadcaster and Sherburn; and

·           that the report does not mention clearly that cash payments will still be available.