Agenda item

12.1

The purpose of this report is to set out, following a request from the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Committee, options for consideration in terms of parking concessions in the City Centre, seeking to increase footfall to support the Christmas retail and hospitality offer.

12.2

RESOLVED:

12.2.1

That the Waste and Street Scene Policy Committee agrees to option 3 as detailed in the report: that a Christmas parking offer will not be implemented in the city centre.

(NOTE: Councillors Mike Chaplin, Alexi Dimond, Tony Downing, Christine Gilligan Kubo, Mark Jones and Sioned-Mair Richards requested that their votes for the recommendation be recorded.

Councillors Sue Alston, Tim Huggan and Joe Otten requested that their votes against the recommendation be recorded.)

12.2.2

That the Waste and Street Scene Policy Committee notes that the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee may authorise officers to liaise with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to identify potential measures to promote and / or incentivise the use of public transport over the Christmas period, and further recommend that it does so.

(NOTE: Councillors Sue Alston, Alexi Dimond, Christine Gilligan Kubo Tim Huggan and Joe Otten requested that their votes for the recommendation be recorded.

Councillors Mike Chaplin, Tony Downing, Mark Jones and Sioned-Mair Richards requested their votes against the recommendation be recorded.)

12.3

Reasons for Decision

12.3.1

This report sets out options for consideration in terms of parking concessions in the City Centre, seeking to increase footfall to support the Christmas retail and hospitality offer. Any decision to implement such an approach should be made in the context of the potential cost and impact on footfall of the proposed approach.

12.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

12.4.1

The Council could choose to support a public transport offer to promote the use of public transport and/or active travel in partnership with transport operators and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. It could alternately make a decision to invest in the cost of supporting offers to increase public transport take up.

It should however be noted that this would be a matter for the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee. A decision from that committee would be required so as to take such a proposal forward.

On that basis, this Committee may therefore wish to consider making a recommendation to the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee that it authorises officers to liaise with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to identify potential measures to promote and / or incentivise the use of public transport over the Christmas period.

12.1

The Head of Street Scene Services introduced a report that set out options for Member’s consideration in terms of parking concessions in the City Centre, seeking to increase footfall to support the Christmas retail and hospitality offer.

12.2

The report contained three options for Members’ consideration. Following discussion, Members agreed to discount option 2 (free all-day parking on Saturdays and Sundays in all council pay and display bays across the city between 2 &3 December and 16 & 17 December 2023) and put option 1 (free all-day parking in the city centre on Sundays between 19th November and 24th December) and option 3 (do nothing) to a vote.

12.3

On being put to the vote, option 1 was lost.

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR – 3 Members; AGAINST – 6 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 0 Members. Councillors Sue Alston, Tim Huggan and Joe Otten requested that their votes for the recommendation be recorded. Councillors Mike Chaplin, Alexi Dimond, Tony Downing, Christine Gilligan Kubo, Mark Jones and Sioned-Mair Richards requested that their votes against the recommendation be recorded.)

12.5

On being put to the vote, option 3 was carried.

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR – 6 Members; AGAINST – 3 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 0 Members. Councillors Mike Chaplin, Alexi Dimond, Tony Downing, Christine Gilligan Kubo, Mark Jones and Sioned-Mair Richards requested that their votes for the recommendation be recorded. Councillors Sue Alston, Tim Huggan and Joe Otten requested that their votes against the recommendation be recorded.)

12.6

The second recommendation, as set out in the report, was then put to the vote and was carried.

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR – 5 Members; AGAINST – 4 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 0 Members. Councillors Sue Alston, Alexi Dimond, Christine Gilligan Kubo, Tim Huggan and Joe Otten requested that their votes for the recommendation be recorded. Councillors Mike Chaplin, Tony Downing, Mark Jones and Sioned-Mair Richards requested their votes against the recommendation be recorded.)

12.7

RESOLVED:

12.7.1

That the Waste and Street Scene Policy Committee agrees to option 3 as detailed in the report: that a Christmas parking offer will not be implemented in the city centre.

12.7.2

That the Waste and Street Scene Policy Committee notes that the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee may authorise officers to liaise with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to identify potential measures to promote and / or incentivise the use of public transport over the Christmas period, and further recommend that it does so.

12.8

Reasons for Decision

12.8.1

This report sets out options for consideration in terms of parking concessions in the City Centre, seeking to increase footfall to support the Christmas retail and hospitality offer. Any decision to implement such an approach should be made in the context of the potential cost and impact on footfall of the proposed approach.

12.9

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

12.9.1

The Council could choose to support a public transport offer to promote the use of public transport and/or active travel in partnership with transport operators and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. It could alternately make a decision to invest in the cost of supporting offers to increase public transport take up.

It should however be noted that this would be a matter for the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee. A decision from that committee would be required so as to take such a proposal forward.

On that basis, this Committee may therefore wish to consider making a recommendation to the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee that it authorises officers to liaise with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to identify potential measures to promote and / or incentivise the use of public transport over the Christmas period.