Agenda item

Interview with Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services, Councillor John Perry and Marcus Lawler, Commercial Projects Manager.

The Chairman welcomed the Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services, Councillor Perry and Marcus Lawler Commercial Projects Manager to the meeting.

The Cabinet Member introduced the Car Park charges in Mote Park report explaining that it was an emotive issue but it was about the future of the park and ensuring its sustainability and funding.

The following points were made:

·  The Committee was informed that visitor numbers had doubled in the past three years.

·  The increased use of the park had a knock on effect on the maintenance of costs of the park.

·  There was a risk that Mote Park would absorb a disproportionate amount of the parks and leisure budget.

·  There were 26 Parks and Open Spaces managed by the Parks and Open Spaces team. The total budget was 1.8 million with £400,000 spent on Mote Park.

·  The park was heavily reliant on volunteers, volunteer labour accounted for £40,000, over 10% of the budget.

·  Money would be ringfenced to maintaining the park and its green flag status.

Some members raised concerns about the ambition of the plans for Mote Park. Mr Lawler informed the committee that the report presented to them originated from a report that it had considered in 2013, Sustainable Future for Mote Park. It was clarified that there were originally three proposed revenue streams including a pay to use adventure zone and bringing the park café ‘in house’, along with capital investment for improvements (i.e. the toilets and café). Car Parking charges was the final one of the three proposals being brought back to the Committee for its input.

The Committee was informed that Lake Market research had been commissioned to undertake market research, stakeholders involved with the park had been spoken to and the parking charges in place at other parks in Maidstone had been evaluated.

It following points were made:

·  1,133 park users were interviewed.  This represented about 1% of all park users.

·  1,508 residents responded of the 5,000 houses which were written to.  This was 7.8% of the houses in the borough and 1.3% of the voting demographic.

·  These were huge samples when considered against national polls such as those conducted by MORI.

·  Of those 1,508 residents who responded, 76% were happy to pay a nominal charge.

·  Of park respondents those from the 1,133 who did not live in the borough 73% were willing to pay a charge.

The impact of parking charges on residential streets and residents parking in surrounding areas was considered.  It was emphasised to the Committee that the enforcement arrangements would be determined once an option going forward had been recommended.  The options put forward in the report included a period of free parking.  Determining the gaps in traffic regulations, enforcement measures and addressing residents’ fears would be dependent on what was recommended. This would be a separate piece of work that would be brought back to the Committee for its consideration.

In response to member’s questions it was clarified that there were no plans to introduce car parking charges to any other parks or open spaces.

The Committee considered the options.  After some deliberation it was felt that the proposal for a £1 parking charge with the first hour free was preferable.  Members agreed that season tickets should be part of the option going forward and a concessionary pass was a good idea, particularly for volunteer workers.

The issue of commuter parking was considered and the need to prevent this.  It was explained this was currently being achieved by opening the park later.  It was considered that parking charges should be punitive after a 6 hour period to prevent this.

The Committee voted on the recommendation as set out in the report at paragraph 1.2.1 with the following additional options as proposed and seconded by members of the Committee:

The Committee supports an option for a £1 car parking charge at Mote Park with the first hour free.  It stipulates that the income from car parking charges at Mote Park be ringfenced to Mote Park. The option should include:

  i.  Provisions for a season ticket and concessionary pass for volunteer workers. 

  ii.   A charging period that begins at 10am.

The Committee voted in favour of the recommendation.  Councillor Mrs Wilson asked that her dissent be noted, stating that she could not vote in favour until the views of her residents were known.

RESOLVED that:

The Committee supports an option for a £1 car parking charge at Mote Park with the first hour free.  It stipulates that the income from car parking charges at Mote Park be ringfenced to Mote Park. The option should include:

  iii.  Provisions for a season ticket and a concessionary pass for volunteer workers. 

  iv.   A charging period that begins at 10am.