Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the head of development and corporate landlord. 

This report provides information for Cabinet members to consider the responses received from the consultation exercise on the draft 2024 car parking order, and to make a decision on what changes to make to the new 2024 Car Parking Order.

Recommendations: that cabinet:

(a)      Considers the responses received following the consultation exercise on the South Oxfordshire District Council proposed car parking order for 2024.

(b)      Subject to cabinet members views, delegates authority to the Head of Development and Corporate Landlord to make any amendments to the order and to implement Option One for the Goldsmiths Lane Car Park.

(c)      Authorise the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to proceed with the new order and to determine the date it comes into effect.

Cabinet received the Car Park Order report from the head of development and corporate landlord. This report outlined the responses received from a consultation on the draft 2024 car parking order and looked to inform Cabinet about what changes to make on the new 2024 car parking order.

The Cabinet member for the environment, Councillor Sam James-Lawrie, highlighted that, as Oxfordshire County Council were changing on-street parking restrictions in Wheatley, they requested that the council introduce a new permit scheme for the area.

The councils draft order also proposed a change to the fees of the Goldsmiths Lane car park in Wallingford in order to align the car park with the Cattlemarket car park. These changes included moving the free parking period to one hour, extending the charging period to between 8am and 6pm, and introducing charges on Sundays. In addition, the cabinet member for the environment indicated that the Goldsmiths Lane car park was partly owned by South Oxfordshire District Council, Wallingford Town Council, and Beechcroft Developments Limited. Wallingford Town Council were consulted on the proposals, agreeing to the changes in daily fees but not to charging hours, fee period, or Sunday fees.

The Cabinet member for the environment outlined the three options put to Cabinet in the report, noting that options one and two would bring in more income to the council whereas option three would not and would likely go against the statutory guidance from the Department for Transport.

Members discussed the three options and agreed that option one was preferable, allowing for negotiations on the charging period with Wallingford Town Council to be carried out over the year. Cabinet noted that if negotiations were not successful, they could then explore more options in the next order.

Overall, Cabinet was satisfied with the consultation and agreed to implement option one in the officer’s report.

RESOLVED: that Cabinet:

(a)      Considered the responses received following the consultation exercise on the South Oxfordshire District Council proposed car parking order for 2024.

(b)      Delegates authority to the Head of Development and Corporate Landlord to make any amendments to the order and to implement Option One for the Goldsmiths Lane Car Park.

(c)      Authorise the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to proceed with the new order and to determine the date it comes into effect.