Agenda item

Fees and Charges Review - 2018/19

(Cabinet Members with Special Responsibility Councillors Whitehead & Leyshon)

 

Joint Report of Chief Officer (Resources) and Chief Officer (Environmental Services)

 

Minutes:

(Cabinet Members with Special Responsibility Councillors Whitehead & Leyshon)

 

Cabinet received a joint report from the Chief Officer (Resources) and Chief Officer (Environment) to consider the annual review of fees and charges for 2018/19.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

 

The attached policy remains substantively unchanged and it is considered that it remains fit for purpose (at least in the short term) and it adequately covers Cabinet’s budget proposals.  As such, no options are presented and Cabinet is simply requested to endorse the policy, with a review being undertaken next year.

 

Options regarding car parking charges are covered in Appendix C to the report.

 

Options Appraisal

 

Advantages

Disadvantages

Risks

 

Option 1A

 

This option freezes the most popular parking tariff of 1 hour that accounts for nearly  40% of overall parking transactions

 

 

The 1 hour parking tariff often provides a guide or perception of the overall level of charging and maintaining this tariff at its current level for as long as possible is beneficial

 

 

By not increasing the 1 hour tariff and limiting the 2 hour increase to 10p differential charging is maintained in Lancaster with on-street parking charges as agreed with the County Council

 

 

 

Option 1B

 

This option avoids the need to increase the second most popular 2 hour tariff

 

This option reduces the 4 hour short stay increase to 10p rather than 20p

 

This option reduces the number of tariffs to be increased again as well as in 2017/18 to 2 rather than 3

 

 

 

 

Option 1C

 

This option makes the largest contribution to car parking revenue and combines the increases outlined in Options 1A and 1B

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Option 2A

 

Introducing evening parking charges on Pedder Street car park would allow the charges to be trialled and the impacts monitored

 

This could lead to the justification of wider evening charging in Morecambe 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Option 2B

 

Introducing evening parking charges on selected car parks in Morecambe would generate additional income and would be consistent with Lancaster’s car parking charges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Option 2C

 

Introducing evening parking charges on all main car parks in Morecambe would lead to a fairer charging regime and would generate further additional income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Option 3A

 

This option maintains the traditional free parking arrangements leading up to Christmas and encourages shoppers to shop locally.

 

The cost of this option is already included in the 2018/19 Draft Budget.

 

Option 3B

 

This option removes the traditional free parking at Christmas and potentially has a positive impact on the budget position and also potentially reduces the need to increase other tariffs.

 

 

Option 4

 

Car Park permits charges have not been increased since 2014/15 and 3% is a relatively small increase in 4 years.

 

This increase still represents good value compared with daily long stay parking charges.

 

Option 5

 

This option provides formal management of the car park and will give priority to residents and businesses.

 

This option prevents the long-term parking of vehicles and commuter parking.

 

Option 6

 

This option provides designated parking as agreed during negotiations with the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.

 

This option will provide an element of guaranteed income from the designated spaces. 

 

Option 7

 

This option allows formal enforcement of the car park and provides appropriate arrangements for unauthorised parking.

 

This option protects the parking spaces giving priority to Pool Car parking.

 

 

 

This option includes increasing the popular 2 hour tariff by 10p which was lasted increased in 2014/15.

 

 

This option includes increasing the 4 hour tariff by 20p rather than by 10p

 

This option includes increasing the over 3 hour long stay (all day) charge in Morecambe by 20p

 

This option includes increasing 3 tariffs that were also increased in 2017/18.

 

 

 

 

 

This option affects the most popular 1 hour parking tariff that accounts for nearly 40% of total transactions.

This option would result in the differential charge with on-street parking charges in Lancaster not being maintained if County do not increase their 1 hour charge

 

This option includes increasing 2 tariffs that were increased in 2017/18

 

 

This option affects a large proportion of customers including the most popular 1 and 2 hour parking tariffs and other selected tariffs 

 

This option would also result in the differential charge with on-street parking charges in Lancaster not being maintained if County do not increase their 1 hour charge

 

Introducing evening parking charges on one car park would result in just one area of Morecambe being affected by the charges and none of the other car parks

 

This would remove one of the evening parking options for residents who live between two town centre resident parking schemes increasing the demand for unrestricted on street parking spaces

 

Introducing evening parking charges on selected car parks would effectively lead to a two tier charging system if other car parks remained free of charge overnight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introducing evening parking charges on all main car parks would be unpopular

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This option indirectly affects the total income that could potentially be generated from parking and also potentially increases the need for price increases from other tariffs.

 

 

 

 

This option would remove the long standing concession of providing free parking leading up to Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

 

The increase could result in less permit sales

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charges will be introduced to offset the cost of enforcement and other operational costs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This option could lead to enforcement issues between designated and pay and display spaces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

None

 

 

 

Increasing the popular 2 hour tariff affects a large proportion of customers and could encourage customers to only stay for 1 hour.

 

Increasing the Full Day charge at Williamson Park again could reduce the number of visitors to the Park or further displace onto the surrounding streets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Increasing the most popular tariff is likely to have a detrimental effect on usage and could encourage shoppers and visitors to go elsewhere 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Increasing both of the most popular tariffs and other selected tariffs is likely to carry the greatest risk of there being a detrimental effect on usage and shoppers and visitors going elsewhere

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introducing evening parking charges on Pedder Street car park could result in customers transferring to the other main town centre car parks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introducing evening car parking charges could lead to greater demand for unrestricted on-street car parking spaces and reduce the provision for residents who do not live in a residents parking zone.

 

Introducing evening car parking charges could have a detrimental effect on Morecambe’s night time economy

 

 

Introducing evening car parking charges on all main car parks could lead to even greater demand for unrestricted on-street car parking spaces and reduce the provision for residents who do not live in a residents parking zone.

 

Introducing evening parking charges on all main car parks could lead to a wider detrimental effect on Morecambe’s night time economy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The option could encourage shoppers to shop elsewhere and have a negative impact on city and town centre viability at Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

Potentially less income if sales reduce by more than 3%.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drivers receiving Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) could feel aggrieved due to confusion over the types of parking spaces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

None

 

 

Councillor Whitehead proposed that Cabinet should vote on the general fees first.  Councillor Hughes advised the meeting of a revision to the Bulky Waste proposals with a sliding scale of charges as follows: I item for £20, 2 items for £25, 3 or 4 items for £30 with a charge of £8 for each additional item.

 

Councillor Whitehead proposed, seconded by Councillor Hughes:-

 

“That Cabinet endorses the Fees and Charges Policy as set out at Appendix A to the report and that with regard to Bulky Waste proposals the following sliding scale of charges be applied:  I item for £20, 2 items for £25, 3 or 4 items for £30 with a charge of £8 for each additional item.”

 

Cabinet Members then voted.

 

Resolved:

 

(7 Members (Councillors Blamire, Clifford, Hughes, Leyshon, Pattison, Warriner & Whitehead) voted in favour, and 1 Member (Councillor Hanson) abstained.)

 

(1)          That Cabinet endorses the Fees and Charges Policy as set out at Appendix A to the report and that with regard to Bulky Waste proposals the following sliding scale of charges be applied:  I item for £20, 2 items for £25, 3 or 4 items for £30 with a charge of £8 for each additional item.

 

Cabinet then considered car parking charges.  Councillor Leyshon moved, seconded by Whitehead:

 

“That the following options be approved:

·         Off Street Parking charges, option 1C be approved, with the daily charge for Williamson Park increasing to £2.00.

·         Evening Parking charges in Morecambe – Trial in Pedder Street & Billy Hill car parks only

·         Retain Free Christmas parking on the Sundays and Thursday evenings prior to Christmas

·         Increase car parking permits by 3%

·         Introduce formal management and parking charges on St George’s Quay car park

·         Incorporate 7 designated car parking spaces for Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service in Cable Street

·         Reintroduce formal enforcement of Friars Passage car park for pool cars.

·         Instruct officers to work up over the coming year the viability of transferable tickets and pay on exit parking charges in selective car parks.

·         That the Off Street Parking places Order is amended at the earliest opportunity to implement the changes outlined in Options 5, 6 & 7.”

 

 

Councillors then voted:-

 

Resolved unanimously:

 

(2)          That the following options be approved:

 

·         Option 1 - Off Street Parking charges - option 1C be approved, with the daily charge for Williamson Park car park increasing to £2.00.

·         Option 2 - Evening Parking charges in Morecambe – Trial in Pedder Street & Billy Hill car parks only

·         Option 3 - Retain free Christmas parking on the Sundays and Thursday evenings prior to Christmas

·         Option 4 - Increase car parking permits by 3%

·         Option 5 - Introduce formal management and parking charges on St George’s Quay car park as outlined in Table C of the car parking report (Appendix C)

·         Option 6 - Incorporate 7 designated car parking spaces in Cable Street when the car park is extended, subject to being approved as part of Cabinet’s budget proposals included elsewhere on the agenda.

·         Option 7 - Reintroduce formal enforcement of Friars Passage car park for pool cars.

·         Option 8 – that officers be instructed to work up over the coming year the viability of transferable tickets and pay on exit parking charges in selective car parks.

·         That the Off Street Parking places Order is amended at the earliest opportunity to implement the changes outlined in Options 5, 6 & 7.

 

 

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Chief Officer (Resources)

Chief Officer (Environment)

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

Fees and charges form an integral part of the budget setting process, which in turn relates to the Council’s priorities.  Under the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), income generation is a specific initiative for helping to balance the budget.  The proposed increases are considered to be fair and reasonable.

 

 

Supporting documents: