Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Customers and Community, (copy enclosed).

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Customers and Community on a proposal of a new policy on parking permits to be allocated to school parents picking up and dropping off their children at school within Maldon. 

It was noted that this report had been considered by the Community Services Committee at its meeting on 11 April 2017.  The Committee had resolved that:

the Council does not make available parking permits to parents of children attending Maldon schools to use in Council car parks and the Finance and Corporate Services Committee be advised accordingly.

Following the recent Council decision to withdraw existing arrangements for parents dropping off children at schools in Maldon, Members were advised that the proposed parking permit would enable parents to continue to park in the Council’s car park but at a rate reflective to their use. 

A point of order was raised at this point and in response, the Chairman advised that he would hear from Members of the Committee prior to the point of order.  The Chairman commented on the introduction of the parking permit, outlining his perspective.  He felt that the Council should consider the proposed permit as a commercial decision in the same way as other parking charges and season tickets.  The Chairman viewed the proposal from Officers as very sensible and endorsed it.

Councillor M R Pearlman advised that he was a Ward Member and referred to the large amount of public interest in this subject.  He proposed that the £200 permit as set out in the report be implemented.

Councillor I E Dobson advised that he felt the proposed permit time of 30 minutes was not enough and repeated a proposition he had made to the Community Services Committee at its last meeting, proposing that the parking permit, if introduced, should be extended to allow a 45 minute period time a day for £200 per year.

Councillor M F L Durham raised a point of order as the recommendations to this Committee were “subject to approval” of the parking permit by the Community Services Committee which was not approved.  He raised concern about considering something which did not exist.  He then proceeded to provide the Committee with information regarding work of the Car Parking Working Group.  In response to the point of order, the Chairman outlined his reasoning for allowing a discussion on this item of business.

There was some discussion about whether offering permits to school parents would be unfair to other organisations, such as Churches, youth clubs, evening clubs and classed.  A lengthy debate ensued, during which a number of comments were raised both in favour and against the parking permit.  In response to a question, the Director of Customers and Community confirmed that current parking permit had been extended to 1 June 2017.

Following a suggestion and further discussion, the Chairman proposed that this Committee support the principle of a parking permit scheme for parents of children attending Maldon schools and ask Officers to work up this proposal in consultation with Members of the Community Services Committee.  This proposal would then be brought forward to the July meeting of the Council for consideration.  This proposal was duly seconded and agreed.

RESOLVED

(i)              that the Finance and Corporate Services Committee support, in principle, a parking permit for parents of children attending Maldon schools;

(ii)            that the Director of Customers and Community be requested to work up the proposal for a parking permit for parents of children attending Maldon schools in consultation with Members of the Community Services Committee and this be brought forward to the July meeting of the Council for consideration;

(iii)          that the current informal arrangements for free use of the Council’s car parks by parents to drop off and pick up school children be extended to end July 2017.