Agenda item

The Committee are asked to consider the requisition of the Executive Decision on Hilldene Shopping Area Parking Review.

The Committee were informed that, the Cabinet Member for Community Empowerment, signed an Executive Decision no 47/13 on 25 April 2013, on the Hilldene Shopping Area Parking Review.  The Executive Decision was as follows:

1.    That the outlying On Street Pay & Display charging regime originally proposed and consulted on be amended to the tariffs listed in the table below subject to Cabinet approval, as set out in the report being submitted by the Head of Streetcare to Cabinet on Wednesday 17^th April.  These proposals also include the increase of maximum stay periods up to 3 hours from the current 2 hour max stay period on outlying Pay and Display

2.    That the proposed allocation of resident and business permit parking and disabled parking bay are implemented as proposed

3.    The waiting restrictions to help improve traffic flow, prevent obstructive parking and improve road safety are implemented as proposed.

4.    The one-way system in East and West Dene Drives to assist the traffic movement, especially larger vehicle delivering to the rear of the Farnham Road and Hilldene Avenue shops is implemented as proposed.

5.    That the loading facilities to improve access to the rear of the shops in Hilldene Avenue, West Dene Drive and Chippenham Road are implemented as proposed.

6.    That the garages to the rear of the shops on East and West Dene Drive are approved to be removed to create additional parking, with extra spaces created by converting a grass verge area in East Dene Drive to the side of 198 East Dene Drive.

Should any of the above proposals be implemented then the effects will be monitored for a duration following the implementation with remedial action being considered.

The Head of Streetcare explained that the scheme had been agreed and clearly set out at the Highways Advisory Committee.  The Head of Service added that parking charges had been reviewed across the whole borough.

Councillor Darvill informed the Committee that there had been a campaign in the local area opposing the proposal with a petition of over 1000 signatures.  There was lots of reference in the original report about mitigating commuter parking, however, in Councillor Darvill’s opinion, there was no evidence that this was happening, since the nearest station was Harold Wood, and there were places much closer that commuters could park.  He agreed that there was parking for the businesses and the flats above the shops.

Councillor Darvill stated that the car parking charges impact on people’s choice.  Harold Hill is the main area of deprivation in the borough with a large number of residents on lower incomes, in social housing and in receipt of welfare benefits. Over 90% of the business owners in the borough have opposed the charges and made representations to local councillors.

Councillor Darvill suggested that the proposal be postponed until the longer term impacts are known to the businesses, and the reduction of parking charges elsewhere in the borough may help to improve a return to the Council.

The Committee noted that there had been parking charges introduced in other areas of the borough, and the businesses have reported that their footfall has increased.  This is due to residents being able to park close to the business they wish to visit.  There were concerns that no area should be exempt from the charges, as this was unfair to the areas that already had parking charges.

The Head of Streetcare explained that over £1 million had been invested in the Hilldene Shopping Centre to increase the number of spaces.  He added that there would always be complaints about parking issues.

The Head of Streetcare explained that he had also had lots of positive feedback from businesses about the 20p/ 50p rates of parking.  The majority of people are happy to pay 20p for 2 hours, following criticism from local hairdressers, the change to 50p for 3 hours was implemented.

The proposal that the requisition be upheld (and therefore that the matter be referred back to Cabinet for further consideration) was LOST (by 3 votes to 2) and it was therefore RESOLVED:

            That the Executive Decision taken on 25 April 2013 not be upheld.

The voting was as follows:

Councillors Brace, Matthews and Trew voted against upholding the requisition

Councillors Durant and Mylod voted for upholding the requisition.