Issue - meetings

1.            That the City Council enters into new agency agreements with Hampshire County Council in relation to the delivery of traffic management and on-street civil parking enforcement with effect from April 2020.

2.            That the Strategic Director of Services be delegated to finalise and enter into the agency agreement with Hampshire County Council in relation to the delivery of traffic management and on-street civil parking enforcement with effect from April 2020.

Councillor Murphy introduced the report and welcomed the proposal to retain the agency agreements, emphasising the local knowledge of the district held by City Council officers.

At the invitation of the Deputy Leader, Councillors Pearson and Horrill addressed Cabinet as summarised below.

Councillor Pearson

·         Supported the Council retaining control of the traffic management and civil parking enforcement;

·         Concern that additional resources were required within the Parking Team to undertake the necessary enforcement measures, particularly in rural areas.

Councillor Horrill

·         Important for the Council to retain control of the service, particularly if the County Council was proposing to outsource;

·         Disappointed with regard to lack of reference to the Winchester Movement Strategy;

·         Potential for significant impacts on Market Towns, for example the proposed removal of the 30 minute free parking.

·         Requested that the City Council adopt a tough negotiating stance with the County Council and that further information be provided before a decision to enter into an agency agreement was reached.

In response, the Strategic Director: Services (Interim) and Corporate Head of Regulatory advised that the County Council required a decision by the end of July.  Discussions were ongoing with the County Council, including regarding on-street parking charges.  Whilst there is a requirement that a county wide resident permit charge of £50 be achieved within 3 years, no timeline for the introduction of on-street charges is set out in the agreement.  There would be the opportunity to negotiate further with the County Council.

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

RESOLVED:

1.         That the City Council enters into new agency agreements with Hampshire County Council in relation to the delivery of traffic management and on-street civil parking enforcement with effect from April 2020.

2.         That the Strategic Director: Services (Interim) be delegated to finalise and enter into the agency agreement with Hampshire County Council in relation to the delivery of traffic management and on-street civil parking enforcement with effect from April 2020.