Agenda item

The Board will be asked to agree the report of the Parking Panel and the recommendations to Cabinet.

Panel’s report circulated as a separate document.

The Board was given the opportunity to consider and comment upon the Review of Parking Issues Report prepared by the Parking Review Scrutiny Panel. The Director for Regeneration and Place and the Parking and Traffic Manager were invited to join the meeting and answer any questions in relation to the report.

In response to a question raised by the Chairman, the Parking and Traffic Manager advised that, subject to the Cabinet approving the recommendations set out in the report, Hampshire Council and the Police would be approached with a view to using their logos on the letter referred to in recommendation 2.1.2 after the wording of the letter had been finalised.

The Director for Regeneration and Place and Parking and Traffic Manager advised that they had no additional issues to add to the report.

The Report was considered by the Board in accordance with Standing Order 77.4. The Board concluded that:

(a)          the Panel had completed the review in accordance with the project plan;

(b)          the Panel had followed the correct scrutiny process; and     

(c)          the Panel had addressed the issues raised in comments received since the report was published.

Therefore, the Board endorsed the recommendations set in the report and

RESOLVED that Cabinet be recommended to:

(1)          issue a borough-wide communique on the matter;

(2)          agree to a pilot scheme, whereby Councillors issue a letter similar to the HCC letter set out in Appendix B of the submitted report in areas where vehicles park on grass verges, footpaths, pavements and grassed areas, that form part of the highway in the following five roads

              (a)         Crookhorn Lane

              (b)         Fir Copse Road

              (c)          Parkhouse farm Way

              (d)         Dunsbury Way  

              (e)         Sutton Road

              The letters to be issued in response to a request from a member of the public or a Councillor and prioritised in accordance with Annex 1 of the Hampshire County Council’s policy statement Parking On Grass Verges, Footpaths And Pavements (Appendix C of the submitted report). The letters for the pilot scheme to contain the telephone number of a nominated councillor for that road.

(3)          request that officers approach Hampshire County Council and the Police with a view to using their logos on the letter referred to in (B) above;

(4)          note that the results of the pilot scheme referred to (B) above will be considered by the Operations and Place Shaping Board in six months from the date of the start of the pilot;

(5)          request Hampshire County Council to conduct a repair programme to grass verges and grassed areas in named streets in each ward forming the pilot scheme, if (2) above has resulted in the cessation of the parking which caused the damage. In the long term this repair programme to include all roads where action taken by the Council has been successful in stopping vehicles parking on verges and grassed areas and pavements/footpaths; and

(6)          request Hampshire County Council to undertake any necessary consultation prior to trialling different wildlife friendly verge maintenance options as part of (5) above.  This is in an effort to encourage pollinators, in line with the Council’s commitment to the environment, enhance street scenes and reduce costs by only needing to cut wild flowers verges twice a year.