Agenda item

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport.

The purpose of this paper is to seek approval for the revised policy based upon feedback from Scrutiny and Area Committees.

The Council’s approach to parking sits at the intersection of a number of competing agendas including responding to the climate emergency, promoting health, wellbeing and active travel, and promoting economic growth. It has become evident through the review process that any parking policies need to navigate between these sometimes competing priorities whilst also accounting for the expectations of residents, businesses and visitors to Stockport, and managing the impacts of population growth and demographic change.

The Cabinet is recommended to review, comment on and approve:-

·         the revised principles to guide future parking policy decisions

·         the proposed methods for demand management for parking schemes.

·         the proposal to move all free schemes to paid for schemes as and when maintenance work takes place, but this approach will be kept under review with the Cabinet Member.

·         the proposal to charge for a permit as identified in paragraphs 6.2 and 6.3 of the report and to review the costs annually as part of the Council Fees and Charges Report.

·         That the proposed charges start to be applied from the 1st April   2021 and increase annually by inflationary costs

·         the proposed changes to residents parking policy (Appendix 2) to reflect the revised principle

·         the proposed changes to town centre parking policy (Appendix 3) to reflect the revised principles.

Officer contact: Mark Glynn on 0161-474-3700 or email: mark.glynn@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport (Councillor Sheila Bailey) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposed approach to residents parking in Stockport town centre and the rest of borough and outlining the comments of the area committees and the Communities & Housing Scrutiny Committee on the proposal.

Councillor Bailey reported that there had been a moratorium on new residents permit parking schemes pending the development of the proposed policy.  It was stated that the previous approach which sought to look at streets on an individual basis had served to displace the parking problem rather than solve it.  The proposed policy sought to create parking zones which would allow areas to be looked at holistically and facilitate the development of electric vehicle charging points, cycle storage and the need to accommodate some business programme.  However, it was stated that no approach would resolve every issue entirely.

In response to concerns expressed by some councillors that the concerns they had expressed at various committees had not been captured within the report Councillor Bailey then provided a further detailed update to the meeting in relation to those comments specifically made by the Stepping Hill Area Committee.  Councillor Bailey then provided individual responses to the comments made by the Communities & Housing Scrutiny Committee as follows:-

Comment 1: Concern was expressed in relation to the proposal within the report to supply councillors with free permits.

Response: No firm proposal was mad in the original document, merely  a statement of projected costs. Proposed charges have been included in the finalised report. 

Comment 2: It was queried how visitors to residential accommodation within the town centre would be accommodated within the proposals.

Response: All details relating to the town centre have been discussed in detail with the ward councillors representing that area.

Comment 3: The report stated that it did not anticipate any impact on LGBTQ people.

Response: An Equality Impact Assessment had been completed and included with the report.

Comment 4: In response to a question about behavioural change and what work had been undertaken thus far, it was stated that the council and TfGM had invested significantly in walking and cycling schemes to encourage the use of alternative modes of transport.

Response: Information was given on the night at committee regarding TfGM walking and cycling schemes and encouragement to use alternative modes of transport.

Comment 5: It was requested that ward councillors be involved in delineating the boundaries of the town centre for parking policy purposes.

Response: This has been discussed in detail with the ward councillors representing that area and a map had been included in the report at their request.

Comment 6: Discussions were ongoing with regard to the final cost to residents for a parking permit under the new scheme. It was clarified that any scheme would be introduced at least initially using paper-based permits, however work was taking place to transition this to e-permits.

Response: Information about this issue was given on the night but is confirmed within the report presented at the Cabinet Meeting.

Comment 7: It was suggested that the report be submitted to area committees for their comments in the light of the localised impact that the proposed strategy would have on communities across the borough.

Response: This was done.

It was then

RESOLVED – That approval be given to:-

·         the revised principles to guide future parking policy decisions.

·         the proposed methods for demand management for parking schemes.

·         the proposal to move all free schemes to paid for schemes as and when maintenance work takes place, but this approach will be kept under review with the Cabinet Member.

·         the proposal to charge for a permit as identified in paragraphs 6.2 and 6.3 of the report and to review the costs annually as part of the Council Fees and Charges Report.

·         That the proposed charges start to be applied from the 1st April   2021 and increase annually by inflationary costs.

·         the proposed changes to residents parking policy (Appendix 2) to reflect the revised principle.

·         the proposed changes to town centre parking policy (Appendix 3) to reflect the revised principles.