Decision details

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport seeking to implement new charges for the issue of residents first parking permits.

(i)  To approve in principle the introduction of a charge of £30 for the issue of a first resident’s parking permit (for new applicants to the scheme) for all residents’ parking schemes in Southampton that are outside of the City Centre, where a charge for a first permit does not already apply, save those listed in recommendation (iii) below.

(ii)  To approve in principle a charge of £15 for the issue of a 3 month temporary parking permit (for new applicants to the scheme) for all residents’ parking schemes in that are outside of the City Centre Southampton save those listed in recommendation (iii) below.

(iii)  To exclude the dwellings encompassed by the Northam, Bitterne Manor, and Itchen Residents’ Parking Schemes from the charging proposals.

(iv)   To delegate authority to the Director of Environment and Economy to advertise the relevant Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO’s) and consider and determine any representations received to those proposals in accordance with the Council’s procedures for determining Traffic Regulation Orders.

1.  Currently the Council does not impose a charge for a first resident’s permit.  The Council has historically subsidised this element of all residents’ parking schemes in recognition of the perceived limitations on parking freedoms that schemes may have in residential areas.  This takes account of the need to achieve a balance between parking demands for resident’s, commuters and visitors.  Providing this subsidised facility results in a financial pressure on Council resources that if not addressed going forward, will have a negative impact on the Council’s ability to adequately enforce parking controls for the social and environmental benefit of the City. 

2.  As part of the Council’s budget setting process for 2013/2014, the Council has proposed to introduce a charge for first permits in order to contribute to the overall funding of parking management within the City and to help fund the introduction and administration of residents’ parking schemes generally.

3.  It is proposed that no charge is introduced for dwellings covered by the Northam, Bitterne Manor and Itchen Residents’ Parking Schemes.  These parking schemes were introduced solely to promote and enable the management of parking in the vicinity of St Mary’s Stadium.  The cost of the scheme is covered by an obligation on the football club.

1.  Not to introducing a charge for first permits.  This has been rejected because the Council no longer has the resource to subsidise the management of residents’ parking schemes or introduce new ones.  Failure to cover costs would also potentially result in the need to reduce the level of service offered to residents. 

2.  Increasing or reducing the recommended charge has been considered.  However, the charges have been set following the principles:

·  that those who benefit from the scheme should pay at least a proportion of the costs of running the schemes, rather than be subsidised by use of funding which could be delivering other services to the wider public as a whole

·  which covers some (approx 50%) of the Council’s costs in providing the schemes (a higher proportion of costs could be covered over time but would need to be seen in light of a review of charging structure for permit holders of second, additional and visitor permits)

·  that they are set at a level comparable to the current charge for second permits

·  for temporary permits, only the cost of administering the issue of the permit has been included.  It does not include any fixed costs, such as signs, lines and scheme maintenance.  It is therefore set at £15 per permit.