Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

The report outlines the concerns caused by the operation of car cruises in car parks in the Borough and contains details of a proposed Public Space Protection Order designed to deal with the problems presented by the car cruises.

The report will be considered by the Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee at its meeting to be held on 26 January 2017.

The Area Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Ian O’Donnell on 0161 474 4175 or email: ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining concerns caused by the operation of car cruises in the Borough and containing details of a proposed Public Space Protection Order designed to deal with the problems presented by the car cruises. The proposed Order had the support of Greater Manchester Police and Chief Inspector Richard Timson, Greater Manchester Police (Stockport Division) also attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The organiser of the events had attended the meeting of the Area Committee held on 14 July 2016 when the Area Committee had emphasised that the events were unauthorised and should stop and that, as a minimum, permission should be sought from the Area Committee as was the case for other events in the town centre. No such application had been forthcoming. The proposed Order was currently subject to consultation and the closing date for comments was 12 February 2017.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Members emphasised that it was important that the Council’s car parks were protected at a time when the town centre was being regenerated.

·         The events were intimidating to local residents and the proprietors of businesses and it was important that they felt safe.

·         The Police could enforce the Order in the short term but in the mid term preventative measures needed to be put in place. CCTV was already in place in certain areas and consideration would be given to taking vehicles off people in the longer term if they transgressed the Order.

·         The Council could possibly take a different view if the organisers proposed to hold the car cruises on private land, the permission of the landowner had been obtained, and businesses and local residents were unaffected.

RESOLVED – That this Area Committee supports the introduction of a Public Space Protection Order designed to deal with the problems presented by the car cruises.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

The report outlines the concerns caused by the operation of car cruises in car parks in the Borough and contains details of a proposed Public Space Protection Order designed to deal with the problems presented by the car cruises.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Ian O’Donnell on 0161 474 4175 or email: ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk

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(NOTE: The Chair was of the opinion that this item, although not included on the agenda for the meeting, should be considered as a matter of urgency in accordance with Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 to prevent undue delay in the consideration of the matter).

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining concerns caused by the operation of car cruises in the Borough and containing details of a proposed Public Space Protection Order designed to deal with the problems presented by the car cruises. The proposed Order had the support of Greater Manchester Police.

The organiser of the events had attended the meeting of the Central Stockport Area Committee held on 14 July 2016 when the Area Committee had emphasised that the events were unauthorised and should stop and that, as a minimum, permission should be sought from the Area Committee as was the case for other events in the town centre. No such application had been forthcoming.

The Executive Councillor (Councillor Sheila Bailey) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

RESOLVED – That this Scrutiny Committee supports the introduction of a Public Space Protection Order designed to deal with the problems presented by the car cruises