Agenda and minutes

To note that Councillors S Boulton and M Perkins to be appointed Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Committee for the 2018/19 municipal year at the Cabinet meeting on 5 June 2018.

It was noted that Councillors S. Boulton and M. Perkins were appointed Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Panel for the 2018/19 Municipal year at the Cabinet meeting on 5 June 2018.

To note any substitution of Committee Members in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 19 – 22.

The following substitutions of Panel Members had been made in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 19-22:-

Councillor L. Chesterman for P. Shah.

Councillor M. Larkins for G. Hayes.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors G. Hayes and P. Shah.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 12 April 2018 (previously circulated).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 12 April 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To note declarations of Members’ disclosable pecuniary interests, non-disclosable pecuniary interests and non-pecuniary interests in respect of items on this Agenda.

Councillors S. Boulton, L. Chesterman and P. Zukowskyj declared a non-pecuniary interest in items on the agenda as appropriate by virtue of being Members of Hertfordshire County Council.

Up to fifteen minutes will be made available for questions from members of the public on issues relating to the work of the Committee and to receive any petitions.

The following questions were received and the Chairman responded as follows:

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) which sets out the results of the informal consultation, the formal consultation and the recommended course of action. The residents and businesses at 634 addresses were consulted as part of the statutory consultation. Threeformal objections have been received.

Members received a report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) on the resident parking permit scheme, double yellow lines and verge protection order in the Crop Common and Cecil Crescent areas, Hatfield.  The officer apologised for the appendices not having been labelled correctly.

The report noted that in November 2016, the Council delivered parking survey forms to all residents within the Birchwood area.  Residents were asked if they required any resident permit schemes or double yellow lines.  Birchwood was then split into three areas.  This report focuses on Area Three (Page 11).  This area being mainly residential with some commercial premises on the edge of the consultation area along St. Albans Road East.  Just outside of the consultation area is Beaconsfield Road which has many industrial and office premises.  Hatfield Railway station being only a short walk away.

Residents within the consultation area had previously contacted Parking Services highlighting significant parking demand in certain roads, with commuters and/or local workers parking on the roads in the residential streets.  This parking demand for on-street parking had created concerns with local residents, due to already limited on-street parking availability.

The report set out the results of the informal consultation, the formal consultation and the recommended course of action.  The residents and businesses at 634 addresses were consulted as part of the statutory consultation.  Three formal objections had been received (see Appendix A).

The majority response from residents in Cecil Crescent, Clarkes Road and the Stonecross Court section of Stonecross Road opted for a resident parking permit scheme.

Members commented on the commuter’s parking and vehicles parked outside businesses for long periods.  A question was raised whether the residents had agreed to the residents’ parking permit scheme and double yellow lines and the Officer explained that there had not been any objection on the specified restriction times. There were three objections received; two from non-residents relating to the proposed resident parking permit scheme and one from a resident living within the scope of this project whose objection related to a section of double yellow lines.

The Officer explained that the Council was still looking to see if there were any areas that could be converted to provide additional parking provision.  If any locations were identified these would have to go through the relevant approval process dependent on the status of the land.  Further consultation with the residents in the rest of Birchwood will be carried in due course, this would mainly be to look at Verge Protection Orders (verge and pavements), double yellow lines at junctions and a small resident parking permit scheme in Great North Road.

            RESOLVED:

That the Panel considers the objections received, in particular the issues raised around equalities and diversity and all the detailed issues in the report and recommends to Cabinet to proceed with the creation of the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for all the reasons set out in this report. 

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) which provides update on the current Parking Services 2017/18 work programmes (Appendix A and Appendix B).

Members considered a report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) on the Parking Services Work Programme 2017/2018.  The report noted that Parking Services receive a number of requests from both residents and businesses to introduce or amend existing parking restrictions, a legal statutory process has to be followed and completed before these can be implemented.

This is to ensure a full consultation with all affected parties is conducted and all comments and formal objections being fully considered before any changes, if required to the current parking regime are made.

Any objections received by the Council in response to the statutory consultation are considered by this Panel.  However, there are occasions in which no objections are received, when this happens the Traffic Regulation Order can be approved using Officer’s delegated powers.

All parking improvements can be on either public highway, Council or on Housing land, dependent on which one will determine the approval process.  All residents in the affected locations would be consulted on the proposals.

Members considered the Parking Services Work Programme and raised the following points:

·         Soft landscaping most needed.

·         Previously it had been noted that parking problems had been moved to neighbouring roads.

·         Noted that Council projects influence the work programme.

·         The Garden City having damaged verges and more concreted areas hedges lessening.

·         Members were pleased to see that additional parking had been created by demolishing the garages which provided 19 car parking spaces for residential use.

·         Other major projects will be reviewed as parking services have taken on another member of staff. 

·         It was noted that a modest pot of money was available to help relieve pressure in some areas but there is a process to be followed before any work can be undertaken.

·         The Work Programme has enabled a holist approach – dealing with all of the parking issues within the same project.

·         Drainage issue was highlighted in Campus West and the Officer explained this was resolved as part of the improvement project.
The drainage issue in Cherry Tree has been passed through to Corporate Property as it is this team who is responsible for the staff car parks.

            RESOLVED:

            That the Penal notes the update on the current Parking Services

            2017/2018 work programmes (Appendix A and Appendix B).

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) which provides specific information regarding the financial and penalty charges as well as statistics relating to appeals, this is provided by a third party, the Traffic Parking Tribunal (TPT). In recent years, TPT has not provided the required information within a reasonable timescale. Therefore, Parking Services have produced this year's report with the most recent information. The relevant statistics will be added to the website once released by TPT.

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services), which provided information on Parking Services for 2017-2018.  The report included specific information regarding the financial and penalty charges as well as statistics relating to appeals, this was provided by a third party, the Traffic Parking Tribunal (TPT).  In recent years, TPT has not provided the required information within a reasonable timescale.  Therefore, Parking Services have produced this year’s report with the most recent information.  The relevant statistics would be added to the website once the information has been released by TPT.

The report needs to be visible to members of the public and this will be placed on the Council’s website.

Members noted that the on-street parking income (PCN, Permits and P&D); if a surplus was generated it had to be spent on transport/parking related projects.  The Officer explained that this was because the income is generated on the public highway.  Off-street income (Council car parks) is a business and the same does not apply.  Any remaining funds would be spent on other parking related costs, such as car park maintenance/improvements and contributed towards supporting Council Services for local people, in particular it helps to maintain many of the frontline services that would otherwise be put at risk resulting from grant reductions.

            RESOLVED:

            That the Panel notes the content of the Parking Services Annual Report

2017-   2018.

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services), on an additional two year fixed term post created to assist Parking Services.

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) on the proposed Parking Services Resources and Work Programmes 2018-2020.  Throughout the year the Council receives many requests for parking restrictions and parking improvements via a number of different channels.  It was important to manage the public’s requests and expectations.  These requests were recorded so that they could be considered by this Panel for future work programmes. The report noted that there were currently over 500 requests of which 152 would be addressed with the current work programme.  Leaving 349 request to be considered for future work programmes.

The Council had agreed the current work programme in 2017-2018 which consisted of the following wards:

·         Handside

·         Hatfield East

·         Hatfield Central Part of Hatfield West

·         Essendon and Old Hatfield

Each of the above Wards were at different stages of the consultation process and the completion of each project was dependent on the outcome of the consultation process but at present it was highly probable that these projects would not be completed before the end of 2019-2020.

Members commented on the current list of outstanding requests from residents and discussed the parking pressures and concern within the Borough’s roads.  It was agreed that the volume of traffic using the roads and vehicles parking within the Borough had increased significantly in the past ten years.  The parking issues around the Queen Elizabeth’s II hospital were also debated in terms of impact of parking on the neighbouring streets. 

The safety of the public highway was the responsibility of Hertfordshire County Council.  Members were advised that if safety issues were reported to the Council they were guided to contact the County Councillor for the area who would raise this with their Highway Locality Officer.  Depending on the issue this may result in HCC carrying out a Safety Audit and/or the County Councillor progressing this with their Highways Locality Budget.  Otherwise Parking Services would log it for consideration for a future work programme.

The Officer expressed that it would be impossible to provide details on all the specific requests. However, all of the requests for changes fall under one or more of the topics below:

·         None-residential parking impacting on residents (Single Yellow Lines/Residents Parking Permit Scheme)

·         Junction protection – Double Yellow Lines

·         Addressing verge and pavement parking

·         Town centre/local shopping parade parking (balancing the needs of the businesses and residents) (Limited waiting/Car park)

·         Creating more parking provision, removing verge/green

The reason for a two year work programme was related to the projects being large and it was very likely that these would not be addressed in one year, therefore planning the work programme for two years would help the Council to be more transparent and realistic.

All of the requests for change will be addressed in the future, the order will be the decision of this Panel and Cabinet.

The report noted that in February 2018 the Council agreed to provide additional resource to employ an additional Parking Officer to enable Parking Services to complete the works.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.