Agenda item

The Chairman gave a summary to the work of the Car Parking Task and Finish Forum (TAFF) which was set up following the item being called-in. The first meeting established the facts and that the issue was essential part of the council’s budget to increase its income from car parks. The second meeting highlighted detailed costings per car park with 15 of these being cost-negative costing the council £100k.

 

Andrew Ennis, Service Lead Environmental Health & Car Parks highlighted the income generated by a few car parks with the total gross income from car parks being £3.2m (net £2.4m), reserved parking £43k and penalty charges £40k as an example. The costs reduction included business rates, VAT, maintenance charges, management costs, Streetscene and customer services to name a few.

 

Discussions on the financially negative car parks were as followed;

 

1.     Maer Road car park long stay, Exmouth

This was now reduced to 200 car parking spaces due to the increase in coach bays though the loss at Queens Drive car park. It was anticipated further increases in visitor numbers and therefore revenue as Exmouth’s visitor offer further improves with the completion of Queens Drive Regeneration phases 2 and 3.

 

RECOMMENDED: that

1.     To increase the coach parking fee from £5 to £10 per day

2.     To advise Exmouth Town Council to look at all issues re facilities needed to support camper vans for the 2-Year pilot TAFF they were leading on concerning this matter.

 

 

2.     Cliff Top long stay car park, Beer

This was a large grass covered car park that generated a little over £15,000 last year but again, due to its size, with the ‘per space’ accounting model it carried a large proportion of the services general costs. The car park was an important facility for visitors wishing to access the Southwest coast path and acted as an important summer overflow car park for the village.

 

RECOMMENDED:

No action - to be kept under review

 

3.     Underhill long stay car park Lympstone

This was a busy car park and although pay and display transactions increase significantly during the summer, many of the spaces are occupied by permit holding residents and second-home owners. Revenue was therefore relatively poor at just over £12,000 last year. The tariff here was increased in April 2019 and although this was currently the only public car here, the possibility of offering an alternative car park for permit holders was being explored.

 

RECOMMENDED:

That the car park remains a pay & display with the prospect of increased income.

 

4.      Dolphin Street long stay car park Colyton

This car park was well used and considered to be an important facility for the town helping to reduce on street parking stress and congestion. However it has historically been operated on a very low tariff (40p per hour) that was only increased to £1 per hour in April of this year so last year it produced less than £10,000 gross revenue but that may improve in the coming year.

RECOMMENDED:

No action - to be kept under review

 

5.     Brook Street long stay car park, Ottery St Mary

This car park was well used by permit holding customers and to a lesser extent by visitors on a pay and display basis. The car park produced just under £5,000 resulting in a small operating loss of just over £1,000 last year.

 

RECOMMENDED:

No action - to be kept under review

 

6.     Estuary Lorry Park

The lorry park was currently being used as the main compound for the Exmouth Tidal Defence Works. It was suggested that an alternative use for this land could, subject to further consideration by Members (and subject to formal consideration by Development Management Committee in due course) to be developed to become a properly designed motorhome and campervan facility.

 

RECOMMENDED:

that the northern end of the car park be developed to become a properly designed motorhome and campervan facility.

 

7.     Seaton Town Hall long stay car park

This small car park was well used, primarily by permit holders. It was conveniently situated for the town centre but its pay and display transaction revenue was very low (less than £2,500 last year). Consideration could be given to making this a short stay car park. This would prevent local workers and residents using permits to park here all day. This in turn would free up spaces for visitors and shoppers which could see a significant upturn in revenue.

 

RECOMMENDED:

That this be made into a short stay pay and display car park.

 

8.     Seaton Jurassic Coach Park

This had been underused and EDDC recently agreed to allow free of charge coach parking here to support Seaton’s bid to become a “coach friendly town”. The annual costs of operating this coach park were estimated to be around £2,300.

 

RECOMMENDED:

that this be reviewed in a year’s time.

 

9.     Upper Station car park, Budleigh Salterton

EDDC has the freehold to this car park with it being leased to the Town Council.

 

RECOMMENDED: that

·       this be returned to a long term car park from 8 - 6pm 7 days a week and residents parking for free in the evenings after 6pm, and

·       Andrew Ennis asks the Town Council what their intentions are concerning the lease on the car park.

 

10.  Brook Road car park, Budleigh Salterton

This was a shoppers’ car park restricted to two hour maximum stays. There was an opportunity to use pay and display to generate revenue to offset the estimated operating costs which last year were over £5,000.

RECOMMENDED:

that this become a short stay pay and display car park.

 

11.  The Green car park, Broadclyst

Although the car park could potentially derive a small revenue income (estimated at £4,961 per annum), at an estimated running cost of £150 per space of £6,150 per annum plus the cost of installing a ticket machine at £4,500, the implementation of pay and display would not provide a net revenue income. In addition, the Parish Council had looked at the use of the car park in some detail and it is clear that the car park being available for parents picking up and dropping off children at no charge/without having to spend time buying tickets was of great community benefit in terms of safety for the local residents and the children attending the schools. However, while the Parish Council had put forward a strong case to have the car park remain free of charge, they were not prepared to assist in the running costs. The Parish Council considered that having taken over the maintenance of the public toilets in the village, no further financial burden should be paid for through the precept.

 

RECOMMENDED:

No action - to be kept under review

 

12.  School Lane car park, Newton Poppleford

This car park was held by way of the freehold title and offers 33 spaces which were currently provided free of charge. There are various rights of access over the car park. The Parish Council would like the car park to remain free of charge and they advised that it was well used by the Doctor’s surgery, Cemetery users, shoppers, the church, school teachers and by night, local residents. There is no real difference of opinion concerning the importance and value of this car park to the local community. However demand was high and from an asset management point of view, this was potentially a valuable asset that could be effectively managed via a fair and transparent charging regime which could well generate a useful surplus. Alternatively the estimated annual running costs of £4,300 would need to be meet from elsewhere.

 

RECOMMENDED:

No action - to be kept under review

 

13.  Manor Farm Estate car park, Sidbury

The Manor Estate Yard car park was a small free car park providing 19 parking

Spaces. It was believed to serve local residents during the evenings and at weekends and users of the adjacent parish hall and visitors to Sidbury generally during the day. The estimated running costs of around £2,400 could be met by car park users in the form of permit parking and possibly pay and display. Alternatives might also be available including long term reserved car parking for nearby dwellings with no off street parking space.

 

RECOMMENDED:

No action - to be kept under review

 

14.  Jarvis Close car park, Exmouth

This car park was currently managed as a short stay shoppers’ car park located at Littleham Cross. It had just 12 spaces and was currently available for use free of charge. The Council was the freehold owner with no abnormal covenants and therefore had potential for alternative uses. However, it may be an important amenity supporting local shopping and therefore the local economy. It was estimated its running costs to be a little over £1000 per year.

 

RECOMMENDED:

No action - to be kept under review

 

15.  Blackmore Gardens car park, Sidmouth

This car park is the freehold property of East Devon District Council but has been leased to NHS Property Services on condition that it be maintained for the benefit of users of the library and health centre. Following complaints about “never being able to find a space” from the health centre’s patients’ group it had become apparent that the car park was not being actively managed and had become a useful free car park for Sidmouth’s residents and commuters. EDDC was in discussions with NHS Property Services staff to ascertain whether they would be interested in working with us to improve the situation. To date no proposals have been forthcoming and we have now opened a dialogue with our property services colleagues about the possibility of reacquiring possession of this car park and managing it on a pay and display tariff with “short stay” restrictions that will maximise the chances of library and health centre users finding a space.

 

RECOMMENDED: that

·       Andrew Ennis got back into discussions with the NHS and report back to the TAFF, and

·       free spaces for disabled drivers be made available.