Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors R Bastin, R Bolton, R Heard, O Kennedy, V Pierce Jones, Mrs M Smallcorn, D Smith and  K Smith, C Tarrant and L Turner.  

There were no declarations of interests from any of the members present.

The Board received a report from the Neighbourhood Quality Service Manager which provided the outcome of a review of Havant Borough Council’s car parking pricing strategy in the town centres across the borough as requested by the Environment and Neighbourhood Quality Portfolio Holder. The request arose following concerns by councillors, officers and the public with respect to the impact the current car parking pricing regime, introduced in February 2013, was having on the attractiveness of local centres as a place to shop and visit.

The Neighbourhood Quality Service Manager, Executive Head for Environment and Neighbourhood Quality and the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Neighbourhood Quality were then invited to join the meeting and answered members questions in connection with the report.

The Neighbourhood Quality Service Manager provided the Board with a presentation on the Town Centre Car Park Pricing Review detailing the background to the review, the approach taken, the proposed strategy, an overview of local centres and the reports conclusions.

The Board was pleased to note that the report had taken an innovative and evidence based approach to the car parking pricing strategy which provided a customised proposal for each local centre.

In response to a query regarding how various parking initiatives were advertised it was confirmed that options to increase awareness amongst the public of the parking offers available would be investigated. This would form part of an on going review of the parking strategy which would enable it to remain flexible and dynamic in the future.

It was explained that following the completion of the review, work would shortly continue on investigating the proposals arising from the Scrutiny Boards original car parking report.

A concern was raised that the report didn’t specify a half hour charge for several centres, the Board was advised that this was because a differential pricing regime formed part of the strategy to present a focused and viable approach for parking in the different town centres.

At the conclusion of the debate the Chairman thanked the officers for all their hard work and effort in producing an informative and in-depth report.

RECOMMENDED to the Cabinet that the proposals set out in the Review of Car Parking Prices in Havant Borough Town Centres report be implemented.