A report providing the Sub-Committee with an update on request that the Council has received for the introduction of Resident Parking Permit Schemes, including the progress of any developing schemes.

The Executive Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report providing the Sub-Committee with an update on requests that the Council had received for the introduction of Resident Permit Parking (RRP) Schemes, including progress of any developing schemes.  The updated list of requests for RRP Schemes was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report explained that scheme development timescales would be dependent on the delivery of active RRP schemes, identifying budgets and availability of staff resources in the context of other active programmes/projects/schemes.  The Covid-19 pandemic had been, and continued to be, very impactive and it was possible that one of these impacts had been on the way people now worked, which was causing less of the commuter parking issues that had previously been reported in residential areas.  This could still be a temporary impact and officers were also conscious of the financial impacts of the pandemic and cost of living pressure that the media were reporting.  The development of schemes was also very resource intensive, which had a cost to the Council both literally and in terms of the impact this had on the development of other initiatives.  The Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy contained agreed savings against further development of RRP; the expected savings for 2021/22 had not been delivered as a result of schemes not being agreed for delivery.

Officers were not presently recommending adding the development of schemes, as set out in Appendix 1, to a programme of works and instead had commenced engagement with local Ward Councillors to ascertain whether there still appeared to be local demand for the development of these schemes.  It was intended that a future update report would make recommendations about whether schemes should be programmed for development or should be removed from the list.  Officers would continue to add any new requests to the list, should there be a demonstrable level of demand.

Resolved –

(1)     That the report be noted;

(2)     That having considered the requests, set out in Appendix 1 attached to the report, they be retained for future development subject to:

·         Carsdale Close – removed from list of requests;

·         Avon Place – removed from the list of requests;

(3)     That Officers continue to engage with Ward Councillors to consider whether there remains a demand for the requests set out in Appendix 1, attached to the report, and a report on recommendations be submitted to a future meeting.