Agenda item

The Executive RESOLVED that

(i)              the car parking tariffs, as set out at Annex 1 to the agenda report, be agreed, to come into effect after the completion of the works detailed in paragraph 1.3 of the agenda report and following the statutory Traffic Regulatory Order process; and

(ii)             subsidised annual permits of £150 per annum be made available for Camberley Town Centre workers earning the living wage or below.

The Executive received a report proposing increases to the tariffs for the Council’s multi-storey car parks in Camberley Town Centre: Main Square Car Park and Knoll Road Car Park. Charges had not been increased since 2014 and the proposed charges reflected the 9% increase in inflation since the last increase to tariffs.

The Executive was reminded that the car parks were often the first impression that visitors had of a town and that maintaining them to a high standard required regular and significant investment. It was noted that, since 2014, over £800,000 had been spent on improving the car parks; this had included the introduction of a ticketless ANPR system, refurbishing stair cores and lifts, resurfacing of floors including the provision of wider spaces, and replacing the lighting with energy efficient LED lighting.

Members were informed that the funding of these improvement works over a 25 year period would cost the Council approximately £90,000 per year. The proposed tariff increase, which was estimated could generate an additional £170,000 per annum, would be used to cover this cost as well as fund further enhancements.

It was suggested by some Members that it was not an appropriate time to increase charges due to the current uncertainty in retail, including recent uncertainty concerning the town’s anchor store. Members also noted that footfall was currently down in the Town Centre, although it was advised that this could have been attributed to the above average weather that summer and there was evidence that footfall was increasing again. It was therefore proposed that the charges be reviewed in 12 months’ time when the retail position was better known. A further proposal was made that the increases should be introduced once the current schedule of car park works was completed.

The Executive endorsed the proposal for up to 100 discounted season tickets of £150 per annum to be made available for Camberley Town Centre workers earning the living wage or below; the tickets would be available on a first-come, first served basis and would require theapplicant to provide a copy of a payslip or a letter from their employer as proof of earnings.

Whilst it was agreed not to amend the Scheme of Delegation of Functions to Officers to enable automatic inflationary increases to tariffs in line with inflation, Members supported a biennial review of the charges by the Executive to ensure that charges remained at the right level.

RESOLVED that

(i)          the car parking tariffs, as set out at Annex 1 to the agenda report, be agreed, to come into effect after the completion of the works detailed in paragraph 1.3 of the agenda report and following the statutory Traffic Regulatory Order process; and

(ii)        subsidised annual permits of £150 per annum be made available for Camberley Town Centre workers earning the living wage or below.