Venue: Committee Room A, Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1RS
Contact: Cheryl Clark Democratic Services Officer
Note: Please note that the public proceedings of the meeting will be recorded and made available for playback on the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Website
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Apologies To receive any apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bland and Lewis. It was also noted that apologies were received from Councillor Scholes who as Deputy Mayor had offered to stand in at an event on behalf of the Mayor who was indisposed. |
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Declarations of Interests To receive any declarations of interest by members of the Council in items on the agenda. For any advice on declarations of interest, please contact the Monitoring Officer before the meeting. Minutes: No declarations of interest were made. |
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Notification of Visiting Members Wishing to Speak To note any members of the Council wishing to speak, of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 18, and which items they wish to speak on. Minutes: In accordance with the provisions of Council Meetings Procedure Rule 18, Councillor Heasman had registered to address the Board in respect of item 6 on the agenda – Parking Permit and Car Park Season Ticket Review. |
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Minutes of the meeting dated 10 April 2018 PDF 193 KB To approve the minutes of a previous meeting as a correct record. The only issue relating to the minutes that can be discussed is their accuracy. Minutes: RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting of the Board date 10 April 2018 be agreed. |
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Work Programme as at 02 November 2018 PDF 172 KB Minutes: RESOLVED – That the Work Programme as at 2 November 2018 be noted. |
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Parking Permit and Car Park Season Ticket Review PDF 388 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: Mr Perrin, Parking Manager introduced the report, which explained that a review had been undertaken of the Council’s parking permit and car park season ticket products prior to the implementation of a new virtual permit system on 1 April 2018.
The report sought consent to make changes to the products offered and to the charges to be applied in respect of the parking permit and car park season ticket scheme across the borough. This would ensure it would be fairer for customers and easier to administer.
No members of the public had registered to speak. Councillor Heasman, however, had given notice to address the Board as indicated in minute PT61/18 above. Whilst he supported the principle of tackling existing inequities in the scheme, he did have concerns about the over-allocation of permits up to a level of 150% within some parking zones. This meant that permit holders often had difficulty finding a space. He suggested that the solution was to discontinue the availability or to increase the price of second permits. He also had concerns that following the sale of property in some areas, permits would not be available to new residents.
Members proceeded to raise concerns, ask questions of officers and debate the proposals. The main issues raised included the following: · The potential link of permit prices to the emission levels or vehicle size was queried as this could adversely impact those residents owning older vehicles and who could least afford increases in parking. Mr Perrin, however, reassured members that this was not part of the current proposals but an illustration of a potential future development. · In response to concerns about over-supply of permits, Mrs Fineman explained the benefits of the proposed new scheme, which would provide a vast improvement in statistical and management information. This in turn would facilitate appropriate changes in future parking strategy and charges. · Mrs Fineman explained the rationale behind the increase to the Part Time Annual Permit which would overcome an identified loop hole and ensure the pricing was fair overall. In general members were mostly supportive of the proposals and although suggestions were made that there were potentially losers from the proposed new scheme, there was also fairly strongly held view that the price of a second permit should be increased. In summary, however, members agreed to support the recommendations in the report and consider further changes once the parking strategy had been reviewed and the new virtual permit system was embedded, and further statistics and management information became available.
RESOLVED – That the recommendations set out in the report be supported
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Urgent Business To consider any other items which the Chairman decides are urgent, for the reasons to be stated, in accordance with Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972. Minutes: There was no urgent business for consideration. |
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Date of the Next Meeting To note that the date of the next scheduled meeting is Monday 14 January 2019, at 6.30pm in Committee Room A, Town Hall, Tunbridge Wells. Minutes: RESOLVED – That the next scheduled meeting be held on Monday 14 January 2019, at 6.30pm. |