Issue - meetings

1.      Subject to Full Council approval of the Budget and Capital Investment Strategy, approve expenditure of £1.676m for the car park major works programme 2026/27 as outlined in Appendix A of report CAB3533.

2.      Delegate to the Head of Service – Place, in consultation with the Corporate Head of Asset Management and Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, authority to adjust the programme to meet maintenance and operational needs of the car park service throughout the year, as required, and procure works as set out in the report.

Councillor Learney introduced the report highlighting the significant investment and works that had been undertaken in the previous year, in addition to those planned for 2026/27.  To achieve these objectives, the report included a proposal to employ a fixed term project officer to work on parking projects.

At the invitation of the Leader, Councillors Lee and Godfrey addressed Cabinet as summarised briefly below.

Councillor Lee

Councillor Lee welcomed the proposed improvements to customer safety and facilities. He expressed concern regarding the lack of firm commitments for expanded electric vehicle charging provision and queried why the charging strategy and financial assessments had not informed the programme prior to its approval. He also questioned whether the distribution of investment was equitable across the district and whether it reflected both the parking strategy and Winchester Movement and Access Plan.  He raised potential risks regarding the transfer of car park assets under local government reorganisation.  Finally, he urged the Cabinet to explicitly integrate land use and environmental and nature recovery considerations into future capital decisions.

Councillor Godfrey

Councillor Godfrey raised queries regarding the funding for northern park and ride provision at St John Moore Barracks and the future operation of a park and ride at Kings Barton. While welcoming the refurbishment of toilets, he noted that the current schemes were focused on the town area and asked when funding would be allocated to improve facilities within market towns.  He welcomed the inclusion of the cycle path proposals and sought assurances these would link to villages to the north of Winchester.  He also requested an explanation for the separate handling of air handling works at the Brooks Centre relative to the planned enlargement of the parking spaces

Councillor Learney and the Corporate Head of Service: Place responded to the comments made, including confirming that a number of sources of funding were under examination regarding the proposed North Park and Ride and the budget included provision for future operation.  The Corporate Head of Service: Place also referenced a previous report to Cabinet which included provision for refurbishing toilets at car parks across the district (CAB3411 refers).

Cabinet agreed to the following for the reasons set out in the report and outlined above.

RESOLVED:

1.              That subject to Full Council approval of the Budget and Capital Investment Strategy, expenditure of £1.676m for the car park major works programme 2026/27be approved, as outlined in Appendix A of report CAB3533.

2.              That authority be delegated to the Head of Service – Place, in consultation with the Corporate Head of Asset Management and Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, to adjust the programme to meet maintenance and operational needs of the car park service throughout the year, as required, and procure works as set out in the report.