Issue - meetings

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) report reviews on-street parking controls and enforcement, considers a number of parking management issues in the Borough, and proposes actions to address them. 

The OSC’s report puts forward eleven recommendations for consideration and approval by the Joint Committee.  Rather than recommend detailed, small-scale changes, the OSC has aimed for strategic proposals to improve on-street parking for the Borough’s residents.  (Guildford Borough Council’s Parking Officers provide a further response to the OSC proposals within the agenda item ‘Guildford On-Street Parking Review and Scoping Report’.)

The Joint Committee (Guildford) agreed to:

Acknowledge the recommendations of the Guildford Borough Council Overview & Scrutiny Committee On-Street Parking Review and refer them to the new Parking and Air Quality Working Group (please refer to Item 12 Guildford On-Street Parking Review and Scoping Report Recommendation (ii), b)

Reasons:

To reduce the pressure on residents’ parking, provide a more equitable outcome for residents, and further improve the Borough’s parking management.

Declarations of Interest: County Cllrs David and Angela Goodwin declared non-pecuniary interests in Area B controlled parking zone.

Officers attending: Andy Harkin Parking Manager GBC and Chris Wheeler Waste and Fleet Services Manager GBC

Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: Item 8 Member Question.

Member discussion - key points:

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) report reviewed on-street parking controls and enforcement, considered a number of parking management issues in the Borough, and proposed actions to address them. 

Chairman asked members particularly County members if they were happy with the recommendations in principle. County Cllr David Goodwin thanked the other members of the Overview and Scrutiny (O/S) task group and the officers involved.

O/S Members were happy with the parking officers comments in the report and the small suggested changes to the recommendations.

Members queried the length of time and the amount of work entailed in some of the recommendations. Members also asked if the recommendations were structured differently would that change the workload involved. The Parking officers stated that changing parking controls would involve large fundamental changes however there maybe opportunities for quick wins but the recommendations need to be looked at holistically in the remit of the full review. Officers commented that wider prioritisation  needed to take place.

Members asked what had brought about the change to parking budget. The officers replied that the Parking business plan would deal with this at the December Committee.

The Chairman proposed a new recommendation which members were in agreement with.

The Joint Committee (Guildford) agreed to:

Acknowledge the recommendations of the Guildford Borough Council Overview & Scrutiny Committee On-Street Parking Review and refer them to the new Parking and Air Quality Working Group (please refer to Item 12 Guildford On-Street Parking Review and Scoping Report Recommendation (ii), b)

Reasons:

To reduce the pressure on residents’ parking, provide a more equitable outcome for residents, and further improve the Borough’s parking management.