Issue - meetings

This report presents the Parking Annual Report 2020-21 for Guildford and makes a number of recommendations to the Joint Committee.

The Joint Committee (Guildford) agreed:

(i)            To defer the report until the next formal meeting of the Joint Committee.

Reasons for recommendation:

Further clarity and transparency of on-street parking income stream figures is needed and more detail on the level of Government grant that was received.

Declarations of Interest: None

Officer attending: Andy Harkin, Parking Lead, GBC

Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: None

Member Discussion – key points:

There were concerns that the report lacked transparency in relation to figures showing a breakdown of the on-street parking income streams and the level of the government grant that had been received.

Members were frustrated that the Park & Ride scheme was still affected by the use of two sites for covid-related activity. The value of this work was recognised but it was felt that the sites could perhaps accommodate both P&R services and covid activity if planned carefully. The question of the charging model that applies to the P&R service was raised again (ie charging per passenger rather than per car), which reduces the competitiveness of P&R.

Comments were made about the condition and outmoded nature of the payment machines. The GBC Parking Lead stated that the new pay-by-phone technology was being installed in November, and there were also more up-to-date machines available from SCC that were being installed.

Cllr Furniss proposed a deferral of the report until the next meeting to allow more detail to be provided on the income streams and situation regarding the grant, and to provide more opportunity for involvement of SCC officers in the report production. Cllr Potter seconded. It was noted that deferral would not have an effect on the introduction of any new charging levels that might be agreed because these would not be introduced until the new financial year.

Resolved:

The Joint Committee (Guildford) agreed:

(i)            To defer the report until the next formal meeting of the Joint Committee.

Reasons for recommendation:

Further clarity and transparency of on-street parking income stream figures is needed and more detail on the level of Government grant that was received.