Agenda item

a.     Fees for the Council’s Standard Car Parks be increased by 10p per hour, 20p per hour for Resort Car Parks, and 30p for the Coastal Car Parks.

b.     No Evening or Seasonal Charges be introduced at this time.

c.      Season Ticket prices be increased in line with inflation.

d.     Coach Car Parking Charges be increased £2.5 hr / £13 for 24hr. No weekly charge to be introduced at this time.

e.     3hrs Car Parking be offered for leisure users at Victory Leisure Centre. Hornbeam Road (North Walsham) to be as standard but charged via app only with permit holders also having usage.

f.       Beach Road and Gold Park (Mundesley) be re classified as a Resort Car Park.

g.     To proceed with consultation on the updated Off-Street Parking Places Order.

h.     Car Parking fees and charges be reviewed again in 2025/2026.

a.    Cllr L Shires thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for their contributions, and for the shared understanding and recognition of the Council’s financial position. She thanked the Committee for their boldness and spoke highly of the wide-ranging and productive discussions which had taken place.

With respect to the recommendations made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Cllr L Shires expressed her support for some of the recommendations but advised she would be unable to support all of them.

Cllr L Shires considered an increase of 10p per hour for Standard Car Parks, 20p per hour for Resort Car Parks, and 30p for the Coastal Car Parks would more fairly reflect inflation. She felt the proposed 25% increase suggested by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Resort Car Parks of 30p per hour would be too much. Further, she was uncomfortable with the 40p per hour increase on Coastal Car Parks, as this would be an above-inflation rise.

Cllr L Shires endorsed the recommendation not to increase seasonal charges at this time, nor to introduce evening charges.

With respect to Season Ticket prices, Cllr L Shires expressed her support for option 4. She thanked Cllr V Holliday for her balanced perspective and comments at Committee for a stepped increase, rather than enacting an inflationary increase all at once.

Regarding Coach Parking charges, Cllr L Shires advised, having researched the matter, that the 24-hour ticket charge was far higher than comparable sites across the UK. Therefore, she suggested a £13 charge for 24 hours would be far more reasonable.

Cllr L Shires agreed with the introduction of charges to Hornbeam Road (North Walsham), via app only, with permit holders also having usage.

Having reflected on the differences between a Resort and a Coastal Car Park, set out within the Officer’s report, S.1.5m, Cllr L Shires argued that Mundesley Car Park should be reclassified as a Resort Car Park.

In addition, Cllr L Shires affirmed that car park charges should be reviewed again in 2025/2026 as opposed to in two years’ time.

b.    The Chairman confirmed that in reviewing car parking charges, the Council had considered charges at other local authorities and local private providers. It was felt that the Council-owned car parks aligned with, or were cheaper than, many other similar locations nationwide.

The Chairman welcomed the competitive pricing of Coach Parking fees to encourage the tourist economy, noting that this was not a significant revenue consideration for the Council, rather it was more of a service provision consideration. He considered that a review of coach parking locations would be beneficial, though this would not preclude the Council from responding to or accommodating individual requests for specific sites.

The Chairman endorsed Victory Car Park (North Walsham) having a three-hour rather than two-hour restriction to better enable leisure facility users.

c.     Cllr L Withington endorsed comments made by Cllr L Shires with respect to Resort Car Park charges, noting that in Sheringham the Station Road and Morris Street car parks were used by residents and visitors alike. Additionally, she reflected that local people in coastal communities were often reliant on seasonal car parking tickets and welcomed the stepped charge approach suggested. Cllr L Withington supported the reduced increase to Coach Parking and stated the importance of retaining this provision to ensure the vitality of towns. She noted that several towns were seeking Coach Friendly status in recognition of the important role this played.

Cllr L Withington asked if a review of accessible car parking could be undertaken for 2025/2026, to ensure appropriate provision was available at the appropriate locations.

d.    Cllr J Toye reflected on his prior experience as a coach driver and affirmed that a primary consideration in deciding where to go was based on pricing. He welcomed the Coach Friendly approach which aligned with the Council’s net-zero ambitions to reduce individual car movements.

Cllr J Toye endorsed the recommendation to redesignate Mundesley Car Park to a Resort Car Park, and to review car parks again in 2025/2026.

e.    Cllr W Fredericks welcomed the redesignation of Mundesley Car Park.

f.      Cllr H Blathwayt asked if Officers could continue to monitor the offerings of other Local Authority-owned car parks, specifically whether any innovative schemes were forthcoming to provide different charging rates to registered residents.

g.    The Chairman noted charges were being introduced and/or increased across the County. He stated North Norfolk District Council welcomed innovation and expressed his disappointment that certain options were not available to the public sector as they were to the private sector.

h.    Cllr C Ringer endorsed comments made and agreed that whilst it was not appropriate to introduce seasonal charges at this time, this may be an option the Council wishes to revisit in the coming years.

i.      The Chairman summarised the proposals and confirmed the off-street car parking order would be subject to a statutory consultation period.

j.      Cllr L Shires reiterated that she would not support the introduction of a weekly coach parking charge having considered the offering of other Local Authority-owned car parks. She confirmed the wording for the car parking order relating to three-hour use of Victory Leisure Centre.

k.     The S151 Officer noted that Great Yarmouth offered weekly coach parking at £61 per week. She suggested if a charge was introduced it should be treated as seven days for the price of four, in line with other offerings.

l.      The Chairman noted bespoke arrangements were in place on request of coach companies. He was satisfied with the current arrangement offered.

m.   Cllr J Toye agreed that a weekly coach parking charge should not be introduced, and welcomed the opportunity to push forward with Coach Friendly status.

Cllr L Shires proposed, and the Chairman seconded.

RESOLVED to recommend to Full Council

a.    Fees for the Council’s Standard Car Parks be increased by 10p per hour, 20p per hour for Resort Car Parks, and 30p for the Coastal Car Parks.

b.    No Evening or Seasonal Charges be introduced at this time.

c.    Season Ticket prices be increased in line with inflation.

d.    Coach Car Parking Charges be increased £2.5 hr / £13 for 24hr. No weekly charge to be introduced at this time.

e.    3hrs Car Parking be offered for leisure users at Victory Leisure Centre. Hornbeam Road (North Walsham) to be as standard but charged via app only with permit holders also having usage.

f.     Beach Road and Gold Park (Mundesley) be re classified as a Resort Car Park.

g.    To proceed with consultation on the updated Off-Street Parking Places Order.

h.    Car Parking fees and charges be reviewed again in 2025/2026.