Issue - meetings

To consider the attached report of the Director of Finance, Housing and Community.

In response to a question it was stated that fees and charges that were in the control of the Council were considered on an individual basis.  

To consider the attached report of the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets.

The Director of Environment and Corporate Assets presented the report on the Review of On and Off Street Parking Charges.

Members were advised that in reviewing the current parking charges, both current usage levels and the charging policies in adjacent authorities had been reviewed to ensure that the Council’s charges were set at a level which would not disadvantage the town centres in comparison with neighbouring towns.

The report proposed no increase to the current charges or charging periods except in the following cases:

·         Dover – to extend Sunday charging on and off-street to include those car parks close to St. James’s; Bench Street, Woolcomber Street, Stembrook, Townwall Street together with the on-street parking bays in Castle Street and Russell Street.

·         Deal – to extend Sunday charging on and off-street to include the car parks at Middle Street, South Street, Stanhope Road, Town Hall, Sainsbury’s, St. Ethelburga’s and Park Street together with the on-street parking bays in Beach Street, Prince of Wales Terrace, King Street and Victoria Road.

·         Sandwich – to extend Sunday charging on and off-street to include the Guildhall car park, together with the on-street parking bays in New Street and Market Street.

Members were advised that the Cabinet had deferred the introduction of parking charges (as set out in Appendix 1 of the report) at the car parks within Reach Road, St. Margaret’s-at-Cliffe, High Street, Eastry, High Street, Ash, and High Street, Wingham for further consultation.

The Chairman, with the agreement of the members of the committee, invited Mr D Aldiss of the Deal Marines Angling Club to speak in respect of Sunday car parking charges. Mr Aldiss advised that the club ran a number of charity angling events from Deal Pier over the course of the year that needed six hours parking for participants and he expressed concern that the cost of parking could deter entrants when added to the costs of pier charges and costs related to the event. 

The following points were raised by Members:

·         The impact of ending the option of sharing a single resident parking permit between two vehicles and the introduction of a limit of a maximum of two permits per household;

·         The introduction of restrictions on the size of vehicle for which a resident parking permit would be issued (this would not affect most work vehicles);

·         The impact of Sunday parking charges on the local community and local businesses; and

·         The need to identify the level of vehicle ‘churn’ in car parks, particularly in Deal. 

RESOLVED: That it be recommended to Cabinet in respect of decision CAB127:

(a)  That as the justification used by Cabinet to defer the decision on rural parking charges applied equally to the towns it not proceed with implementing the charges for the towns without further work and consultation.

(b)  That a further report be produced providing details of the level of ‘churn’ at car parks.   

To consider the attached report of the Director of Finance, Housing and Community.

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Corporate Resources and Performance

It was agreed:

(a)      That the fees and charges for 2018/19, as set out at Appendices 2.1 to 2.6 and 5.1 and 5.3 of the report, be approved.

(b)        That any fees and charges will be adjusted by the Service Director and the Portfolio Holder to comply with any subsequently received government guidelines (when they are received) without being the subject of a further report unless they are materially different from current charges or have a material impact on the level of income.

(c)        That the general principle that fees are set at an appropriate inclusive level, irrespective of VAT status, and that the VAT element within the overall fee level is then determined, be approved.

(d)        That the fees and charges approved by the Licensing and Regulatory Committees (and presented for information to the Planning Committee), as set out at Appendices 3, 4, 5.1 and 5.2 of the report, be noted.

(e)     That the Guidelines/Procedures for the application of Recycling and Waste    Discretionary Fees and Charges, as set out at Appendix 6 of the report, be approved.