Issue - meetings

This report seeks the agreement of the Committee to open Hook Road Car Park on a Sunday, subject to the result of a public consultation.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Approve to amend the opening hours of Hook Road Car Park to include opening on a Sunday from 9am – 5pm subject to the results of a public consultation.

(2)       Nominate and Authorise the Head of Housing & Community and the Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer to advertise the amendment to the current Traffic Order, as set out in this report, in accordance with the statutory process.

And

a)    Subject to there being no objections following the statutory advertisement to make the new Traffic Order, with the amendment and any additional updates required, and have the same sealed to implement the current proposal

Or

b)    If there are objections following the advertisement to bring back the representations received to the proposal to the Environment Committee in March 2026.

The Committee received a report that sought the agreement of the Committee to open Hook Road Car Park on a Sunday, subject to the result of a public consultation.

The Committee considered the following matters:

a)    Legality. In response to a Member question about the need for a Traffic Order when the car park was already in operation the Parking Manager explained that it was a legal requirement as the opening times would change. The duty was to advertise and consult for a period of 21 days in order to take any objections.

b)    Local Plan. A Member stated that the car park was part of the Local Plan and asked what the process would be for finding alternative parking. The Parking Manager reported that there was a proposal to bring a long-term parking strategy to committee but that the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) might also have something to say about it. However, the proposal to this Committee was being put with the assumption that it may only last for a year or so.

c)    Parking costs. A Member asked how officers would differentiate between leisure centre users and others as the parking charge was different for the different users. The Parking Manager explained there would be two Ringo codes but accepted that it would be difficult to monitor and would rely on users’ integrity. The Parking Manager agreed to consider the Member’s suggestion of having a system in place whereby leisure centre users put in their car registration, but administrating this would lead to an administrative cost.

d)    In response to a member question regarding promotion of this to shop staff. It was agreed that the opening would be publicised.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Approve to amend the opening hours of Hook Road Car Park to include opening on a Sunday from 9am – 5pm subject to the results of a public consultation.

(2)       Nominate and Authorise the Head of Housing & Community and the Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer to advertise the amendment to the current Traffic Order, as set out in this report, in accordance with the statutory process.

And

a)    Subject to there being no objections following the statutory advertisement to make the new Traffic Order, with the amendment and any additional updates required, and have the same sealed to implement the current proposal

Or

b)    If there are objections following the advertisement to bring back the representations received to the proposal to the Environment Committee in March 2026.