The Corporate Director Communities reported on proposals for Cabinet to consider management of parking within Bridgend County Borough and options and strategies going forward. 

He informed Cabinet that the Council is responsible for 28 off-street car parks, of which 10 are run as pay and display car parks, 3 of those being short stay, 2 short and long stay and 5 being long stay.  He stated that the Council has received many requests for residential parking control but due to issues associated with enforcement and cost, has been unable to accede and implement such requests.  Cabinet at its meeting on 1 April 2014 agreed recommendations on a strategy for the introduction of residents permit parking.  The Council also commissioned a review of public car parks as well as the staff / member car parking scheme.  However this was deferred due to the Rhiw development and staff moves as a result of the closure of the Sunnyside building. 

The Corporate Director Communities reported that the current tariff structure for off-street parks has not changed since 2007.  He stated that as the Rhiw car park has returned to use, following re-development, it was appropriate to re-instigate the parking management review to include a number of other issues which had been brought to officers’ attention. 

He outlined in detail proposals along with recommendations in each of the following issues:

• Current tariffs for all the Council’s Pay and Display Parking and Staff Parking
• Residents Parking in Bridgend Town
• Limited Waiting Parking for on Street Parking, Porthcawl
• Possibility of user payment  in other car parks within the County Borough
• Provision of Electrical Charging points in the Rhiw Car park
• Methods of payment for existing pay and display machines
• Welsh Language Act compliance for Pay and Display machines
• Charging for dispensation permits for Contractors in Bridgend Town Centre
• Security- Opening and locking of car parks and callout
• Community Asset transfer of car parks
• Structural resilience of all Bridgend car parks

The Corporate Director Communities reported that the changes in parking tariffs identified were not expected to result in a significant abstraction or migration of current users within the car parks although this remained a risk. He stated that the simplification in the tariff structure was seen as supporting visitors to the town centre and may encourage a longer stay.  It was currently forecast, although not guaranteed, that the changes proposed may create a surplus over the current charging regime in the region of £50,000, which would be used to reduce the deficit on the budget and make general repairs to existing car parks where possible.  He informed Cabinet that the change in tariff at Rest Bay Car Park was estimated to create a surplus of approximately £20,000; however any increase must be reinvested within Locks Common.  He stated that there is currently a capital allocation of £128,000 for the introduction of residents parking in Bridgend Town which would be used to introduce the proposed scheme.  The introduction of a Limited Waiting Traffic Order to the front in Porthcawl had a cost implication of £40,000, while the introduction of electrical charging points in the Rhiw Car Park had a cost implication of £20,000.  However, their introduction could not take place until funding had been secured and in the case of the parking proposal to the front in Porthcawl, consultation had taken place.  The Corporate Director Communities stated that there is currently a budget of £110,000 for remedial measures to car parks within the capital programme and works associated with the structural resilience of the Brackla 1 car park would be utilised to carry out minor works.

The Cabinet Member Communities welcomed the consultation on the parking proposals in Porthcawl and for the simplification of parking tariffs and was interested to see how the introduction of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEV) charging infrastructure develops.  In commending the proposals, he thanked the officers for producing the report which had been resource intensive.  The Leader commented that the proposals at this stage are subject to consultation which he encouraged the public to take part.  He commented that the there was no reference in the proposals to introduce charging for blue badge holders and he gave a commitment for that to continue.   

The Interim Head of Finance informed Cabinet that the maintenance of car parks outweighs the income derived from car parking charges.  She stated that all Councils will have to consider increasing charges as part of the budget process and that the Budget Research and Evaluation Panel would be considering income and charges levied.         

RESOLVED:            (1) That Cabinet Cabinet authorised the Corporate Director-Communities:

Recommendation 1:        To consult on the proposal to simplify the parking tariffs on all short stay car parks and if appropriate implement

Recommendation 2:         To consult on the proposal to simplify the tariffs in all long stay car parks except Rest Bay and Brackla 1 multi-storey (adjacent to Asda) and if appropriate implement

Recommendation 3:         To consult on the proposal to standardise the times of Brackla 1(adjacent to Asda) to be the same as other long stay car parks, and also simplify the tariffs to be the same as other long stay car parks and if appropriate implement

Recommendation 4:        To consult on the proposal to change charging times in Rest Bay Car Park to offer users more choice and flexibility and also to simplify the tariffs and if appropriate implement

Recommendation 6:         To consult on the proposal to convert all of the Bowls Car Park and Tremains Car Park parking spaces to long stay spaces to simplify the parking experience.

Recommendation 7:         To consult on the provision of limited Waiting along Porthcawl Front (including Eastern Promenade) and if appropriate introduce new restrictions.

Recommendation 8:         Implement the introduction of a pilot scheme in the Rhiw to introduce ULEV charging infrastructure charging machines subject to funding being secured.

Recommendation 9:         Progress upgrading of current pay and display machines.

Recommendation 10:      To explore and if appropriate introduce an administration charge for permits for vehicles to park on street which require dispensation.

Recommendation 11:      The Authority investigate and implement if appropriate, the recovery of out of hours release costs for council owned car parks.

(2) That Cabinet noted the following:

Recommendation 5:         Staff/elected member parking permits be reviewed annually and those staff and elected members who have dedicated parking spaces/zones have a higher differential of £5 per month. All permits will also include Saturdays to encourage use of town centre car parks on the weekend.

Recommendation 12:      The CAT Officer explores Community Asset Transfers of non-chargeable carparks.