Return to
Agenda
ITEM TD3
TRANSPORT
DECISIONS committee
MINUTES of the meeting held on
Present:
Voting Members: Councillor Ian Hudspeth - in
the chair
Councillor David Robertson
Officers:
Whole
of meeting: G. Warrington
(Corporate Core), S. Howell and R. Kingshott (Environment & Economy)
The Committee
considered the matters, reports and recommendations contained or referred to in
the agenda for the meeting and decided as set out below. Except insofar as otherwise specified, the
reasons for the decisions are contained in the agenda and reports, copies of
which are attached to the signed Minutes.
6/07
MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting
of the Committee held on
7/07
PETITIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESS
The following requests to address the meeting had
been agreed:-
Councillor Mohammed Altaf-Khan (Local member) and
Councillor Bob Johnston (Opposition Member for Transport) attended for Item 5.
8/07
(Agenda Item 5)
The Marston South
Controlled Parking Zone proposals had been approved by the Cabinet Member for
Transport on
Mr Fell presented a petition against introduction of charges. He quoted an article, which had appeared in the Oxford Mail which had inferred that the County Council had not specifically asked residents if they would pay for permits. He referred to a similar set of circumstances in Hackney, where a scheme had been opposed by a majority of residents leaving it unlikely to work in practice and open to legal challenge. He did not consider the schemes or the spending of £58,000 on processing the orders justified.
Councillor Altaf-Khan (Local Member) expressed concern that residents had waited for 9 months for the Marston South scheme to be introduced and had also requested a minimal impact zone. However, introduction of charges remained unpopular with the majority of residents who felt that charges were being introduced as a reaction to local changes necessary because of outside influences namely the Hospital and University expansion programmes. Residents wanted to see value for money with increased enforcement and review after 18 months.
Councillor Robertson replied that the Marston South CPZ had responded to complaints from residents that they were finding it difficult to park and although it had taken 9 months to process the scheme the care and attention taken in doing so would lessen potential for any legal challenge. He advised that for legal reasons a minimal impact zone could not be introduced.
Councillor Johnston did not object in principle to the scheme nor to introduction of charges but questioned whether the administrative costs set for each permit had been properly established. He called for a review of the scheme in 18 months (or preferably less) particularly in the light of proposals to decriminalise parking in April 2008, which would have considerable secondary effects.
Councillor Robertson advised that the rationale for setting charges had been adequately covered in the report and that discussions were taking place with District Councils regarding partnership work on special parking areas.
Councillor Hudspeth also referred to the expressed desire of residents for some form of enforcement and confirmed that the County Council would not be profiting from costs levied and confirmed that the scheme would be reviewed. Procedurally everything had been done correctly with full consultation and amendments made to reflect the many responses received. He saw no reason to specifically exclude Marston South from the introduction of permit zone charges.
RESOLVED: to confirm the introduction of permit charges for
the Marston South Controlled Parking Zone as detailed in the report to Cabinet
on
................................................................................... in
the Chair
Date of signing.................................................................. 2007
|