Agenda item

Agenda item

2016 Fees & Charges

 

To receive the directorate's relevant fees and charges information, noting the Executive proposals and influencing where appropriate changes to the fees and charges prior to Council.

 

Full details are available on the Executive Papers dated 06 October 2016 http://centralbeds.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=577&MId=4919&Ver=4v.

 

Attached are the relevant appendices A, B, C, D, E and Supplementary.

 

Minutes:

 

The Chairman invited two speakers to address the Committee in relation to proposed increases to car parking charges in Dunstable. The speakers raised issues that in summary related to the following:-

·           A perception that an increase in parking charges would discourage footfall in Dunstable and detrimentally impact the market, the image of the area and vacancy rates.

·           The absence of standardisation of charges and consultation with the Town Council.

·           The likelihood of proposals stalling progress in relation to the regeneration of Dunstable.

·           Whether the charges could be staggered and implemented over a longer period of time to minimise the impact on residents, shoppers and the town.

 

In response the Director for Community Services stated he considered it appropriate to levy the charges from 01 January 2016 as there had been no increase in car parking charges for the past 4 years.

 

The introduction of new technology during the summer of 2016, paid for out of capital investment and recovered from parking fees, would make the charges more economical for users.

 

Members discussed the proposals and raised specific concerns in relation to the proposals to raise car parking fees and charges in Dunstable, which in summary related to the following:-

·           Whether it was appropriate to increase fees for a loyal customer base, the low paid and the elderly. It was suggested that an increase in charges would not necessarily translate into an increase in revenue and may negatively affect Council income streams.

·           The existing local trade and footfall in the town was fragile and could be worsened by increasing the charges.

·           Increased charges could lead to the dispersal of cars to free or residential parking areas.

·           Whether the increased charges should be deferred until the pay on exit technology was in place.

·           That benchmarking data was not reflective of Dunstable.

·           That a business case should be produced to justify the rise in car parking charges that took account of the rationale behind 0% increases for other charges within the Directorate.

 

In response the Director advised the Committee that car parking charges alone would not impact growth or customer behaviour. Those charges with a 0% increase were subject to policy decisions or had been recently increased, therefore it was not appropriate to increase them further.

 

In response to a request from Members the Head of Financial Performance and support agreed to include additional information regards income generation and quantitative data in future reports. It was also confirmed that the indicated decrease in income was due to a VAT increase which the Council had not previously been subject to.

 

The Committee discussed alternative charges to those proposed, with the figures relating to the disparity in revenue provided by the Directorate. It was confirmed that if there was a decrease in charges then it would be necessary to mitigate the loss of revenue from within the overall budget.

 

RECOMMENDED:-

1.     That car parking charges in Dunstable, currently at 50 pence for up to two hours, be subject to an increase to no more than £1 from 1 January 2016 and that there would be no further increase once the new pay on exit technology was in place.

2.     That the Committee support the overall proposed Fees and Charges, recommending flexibility for the Directorate to reconsider areas with a 0% or very low increase, thus mitigating the impact of lower car parking charges than those proposed in Dunstable, offsetting the loss in revenue.

 

Supporting documents: