The Committee received a report by the Executive Director (Environment & Place), by way of pre-Cabinet Scrutiny, that sought agreement to amend parking fees and charges, intended to be effective from 1^st April 2025.

Councillor T Cox expressed concern with recommendation 2.4 in the printed report which sought to delegate authority to officers to consider the outcome of any Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) consultation and determine whether a TRO should be introduced or referred to the Traffic Regulation & Working Party (TRWP). It was highlighted that all TRO’s which received objections should be referred to the TRWP as the appropriate decision-making body and felt that the recommendation was unclear.

In response to these concerns, the Leader of the Council observed that the wording would be strengthened to ensure this was more explicit before being referred to Cabinet.

The Committee voted unanimously in favour to recommend to Cabinet that the wording in recommendation 2.4 be amended to ensure that there was not a blanket delegation to officers and that objections were instead referred to the TRWP.

The Committee discussed the report in some detail and asked a number of questions which were responded to by the Leader of the Council, highlights included:

·       Clarification on the new parking tariffs, including the new cap on charges and an extension of tariffs in University Square and Shorefield Road car parks.

·       The use of the Southend Pass and assurance that although multiple vehicles could be added to the same Southend Pass account, multiple vehicles could not benefit from 3 hours free parking at the same time.

·       The need to update the Council website to publicise accessible parking available at Shoebury East Beach, in view of the fact the park was soon to be upgraded to make it a destination accessible park.

·       The intention to create a “commuter offer” on the Southend Pass to ensure parking was more affordable.

During the debate Councillor J Courtenay moved a new recommendation, which was seconded by Councillor T Cox, that read as follows:

“This committee believes that these proposals are short-sighted, insofar as the limited support being given to the Central Seafront area is coming from an increase in charges elsewhere.

Higher and longer charges in the City Centre, will impact on our already struggling High Street, and in those car parks to the East of the seafront, that already experience much lower usage, an inflation busting rise will only exacerbate that lower usage.

As such we recommend that Cabinet considers not implementing 6pm to 9pm parking charges in Shorefield Road, hold the charges in the new Zone 2 at the current Zone 1b rates, and that seafront car parks moving to Zone 3A or 3B are held at the current Zone 2 rates.”

The Chair undertook a vote on the new proposed recommendation, the result of which was:

For: 6

Abstentions: 1

Against: 7

The Chair declared the motion was lost and the substantive recommendations to Cabinet were noted.

Resolved:

1.     That the wording of recommendation 2.4 in the printed report be amended to ensure that all objections were referred to the Traffic Regulation & Working Party as the appropriate decision-making body, and that this function not be delegated to officers.

2.     That the report to Cabinet be noted.

Note: This is and Executive Function

Cabinet Member: Councillor D Cowan (Cabinet Member for Infrastructure & Corporate Strategy and Leader of the Council).