Contact your Parish Council

 

MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

 

CABINET MEMBER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

 

REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

 

 

Report prepared by Steve Goulette

Date Issued: 21 May 2009                  

 

 

 

1.                           RESIDENTS PARKING AND MONITORING OF THE SCHEME

 

1.1                        Issue for Decision

 

1.1.1                   To consider the recommendations made by the Regeneration and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding residents parking and monitoring of the scheme.

 

1.2                        The Recommendation of the Assistant Director of Environmental Services

 

1.2.1                   That the Cabinet Member agrees that the responses identified in the report be sent to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

1.3                        Reasons for Recommendation

 

1.3.1                   On 23^rd April 2009, the Cabinet Member and officers attended the meeting of the Regeneration and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to respond to the call in regarding objections to traffic regulation orders for both on and off street parking.

 

1.3.2                   The Committee raised questions on a number of matters and made four specific recommendations which are provided in the Appendix to the report.

 

1.3.3                   The recommendations relate to ways that the Committee thought the administration and promotion of the scheme can be improved with additional monitoring within the north zones.

 

1.3.4                   Not all the proposals are agreed.  Investigating  exemptions from parking permit charges for residents on income-based benefits will divert parking services away from the need to process outstanding traffic orders and if implemented could adversely impact on income streams.

 

 

1.4                        Alternative Action and Why Not Recommended

 

1.4.1                   It would be possible to not respond to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations.  Clearly this would not be a positive action from the Cabinet Member and is not recommended.

 

1.4.2                   The request to investigate exemptions for residents receiving state benefits could be agreed but would prevent parking services staff undertaking other duties including the bringing forward of outstanding traffic orders.

 

1.5                        Impact on Corporate Objectives

 

1.5.1                   The recommendations agreed will assist in resolving identified parking problems and improve opportunities for residents to find a parking space, this is in accordance with the councils aims for quality living.

 

1.6                        Risk Management

 

1.6.1                   The recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee have no risk implications for the Council.

 

1.7                        Other Implications

 

1.7.1    

1.   Financial	X
2.   Staffing
3.   Legal
4.   Equality Impact Needs Assessment
5.   Environmental/Sustainable Development
6.   Community Safety
7.   Human Rights Act
8.   Procurement
9.   Asset Management

               Financial

 

1.7.2                   The recommendation to investigate exemptions from parking permit charges for residents on income-based benefits could if implemented impact on the Parking Services budget.

 

NO REPORT WILL BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT THIS BOX BEING COMPLETED     X     Is this a Key Decision?        Yes                        No        If yes, when did it appear in the Forward Plan? _______________________     X   Is this an Urgent Key Decision?     Yes                  No   Reason for Urgency   [State why the decision is urgent and cannot wait until the next issue of the forward plan.]

 

 

 

How to Comment   Should you have any comments on the issue that is being considered please contact either the relevant Officer or the Member of the Executive who will be taking the decision.   Cllr Mark Wooding, Cabinet Member for Environment Telephone: 01622 602000                                                           E-mail:  markwooding@maidstone.gov.uk   Steve Goulette, Assistant Director of Environmental Services Telephone: (01622) 602134                                                           E-mail:  stevegoulette@maidstone.gov.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCRUTINY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION ACTION AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (SCRAIP)

 

Committee:               Regeneration and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee

 

Meeting Date:           23 April 2009

 

Topic:                         Objections to Traffic Regulation Orders On- and Off-Street

 

Recommendation[i]	Cabinet Member[ii]	Response[iii]	Timetable[iv]	Lead Officer[v]
That the Cabinet Member for Environment investigates the possibility of residents being able to park in all those Council car parks that are in the vicinity of their parking zones.	Environment	Agreed - Resident Parking permit holder parking concessions are already in place in many Pay & Display car parks between 18:30hrs and 08:00hrs.  These concessions provide alternative free parking for residents in areas where parking problems have been identified. Mote Road - S1 permit holders Brunswick St - S2 permit holders Well Road - N2 permit holders Lucerne St - N3 permit holders Brunswick St E - N3 permit holders Union Street E&W - N4 permit holders Wheeler Street - N3 & N4 permit holders	Implemented	J Kitson
That the concessions for residents with parking permits be promoted.	Environment	Agreed – In addition to the information boards displayed within each car park, this information will also form part of the application/renewal documentation.	June 2009	J Kitson
That the decision on north zone migration be monitored and reviewed during the first six months of its implementation.	Environment	Agreed – Monitoring will take place during the first six months and will form part of a report from officers in the Autumn.	October 2009	J Kitson
That the Cabinet Member for Environment investigates the possibility of residents on income-based benefits being exempt from parking permit charges or charged a reduced rate.	Environment	Not agreed – The processes required to investigate the possibility would place additional burden on current resource levels in the parking services team and delay outstanding traffic orders. In addition any such scheme if introduced would impact on parking budgets.