Controversial car parking charges to be scrutinised (From Western Telegraph)

Pembrokeshire County Council cabinet refers parking charges to scrutiny committee

4:11pm Monday 7th September 2009 in News

Controversial moves to introduce brand new car parking charges in recession struck Pembrokeshire towns will be referred to the council's environment overview and scrutiny committee.

Pembrokeshire County Council's cabinet members heard today (Monday) how the proposal to increase charges in some car parks and introduce new charges in Fishguard, Pembroke, Narberth, Newport, Pembroke Dock, Milford Haven and Tenby, were initially put to cabinet in July 2006.

At the same time small increases in existing car parking charges were suggested.

Since then the proposal has come before the overview and scrutiny committee and an extensive report, the Buchanan Report, was produced in 2007.

Deputy leader with responsibility for highways and planning, Jamie Adams, introduced the proposals.

He said that car parking charges would allow far better management of town centres and far more effective footfall through businesses in the town centres. He maintained that civil parking enforcement for on street car parking had to go hand in hand with better use of the county's car parks.

He argued that Pembrokeshire's car parking charges, even at the proposed increased rate, compared very favourably to neighbouring counties and that there had been no increases in existing charges for 15 years.

"I remain convinced that car parking charges are more than reasonable and will provide an effective future for car parking within the authority," he said.

His cabinet colleagues agreed with him, deciding to implement the small increases, subject to the statutory consultation process, but referring the new charges back to the overview and scrutiny committee.

Deputy Leader, Councillor John Allen Mirehouse, said he thought that the introduction of new charges was "an opportunity to get even and fair car parking principles through the whole county".

Councillor Sian James was also in favour but was concerned that it would limit opportunities to get out for the elderly.

She also questioned why the council had not followed all the recommendations of the Buchanan Report , citing the fact that the report recommended that charges be introduced in Fishguard after the new super market is built.

Council leader John Davies acknowledged that car parking charges were always going to be unpopular.

"Now we are in deep recession," he said. "However, it will never be the right time to do something with car parking charges other than to get rid of them once an for all.

"We need more car parks and they have to be funded somehow. It is not our statutory responsibility to provide them."

He acknowledged that the new charges were a "huge issue" and recommended referring it back to the overview and scrutiny and consulting on level of charges. He said that there would be an opportunity to discuss why some aspects of the report had not been taken up at the overview and scrutiny committee.

"All local members will have right to speak in overview and scrutiny," he said. "However, we must promise ourselves this does not take another four years."