Issue - meetings

The Litigation Solicitor presented a report on the subject of the Off Street Parking Order for Council car parks.

Members were advised that the Council did not have an Off Street Parking Order in place and it had been felt that one was needed.  There were specific legislative requirements in relation to the process for introducing Off Street Parking Orders and the Council needed to comply with these rules.  The Executive Committee had previously considered the subject of Off Street Parking Orders in 2009 but this had never been implemented.  The proposed Off Street Parking Order had been updated since the version considered in 2009, to include reference to matters such as electric charging points for vehicles.  The order would enable the Council to issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) and to undertake enforcement action in the car parks covered by the order.

The full list of Council car parks had not been included within the list of car parks that would be subject to the order.  Instead, a decision had been taken to focus on providing enforcement powers at car parks where this was considered to be desirable.  Additional car parks could be added later by updating the schedule.

Following the presentation of the report, Members welcomed the proposed Off Street Parking Order and commented that this would support the ongoing redevelopment of Redditch Town Hall. 

Questions were raised about whether enforcement action would be undertaken in cases where vehicles parked in electric charging bays when not charging their vehicles.  Officers clarified that if vehicles were parked in electric charging bays but were not being charged, enforcement action could be undertaken, as these bays were intended solely for charging purposes.  Similarly, enforcement action would be taken in cases where vehicles were parked in residential parking bays where the vehicles had not been registered for the use of residents.

During consideration of the item, the Leader reminded Members that a parking permit form had recently been circulated for the considered of all elected Members to enable them to register their vehicle’s details on the Council’s new parking system.  Members were urged to return a completed copy of this form to Democratic Services as soon as possible.

RESOLVED that

1)          the Executive note the Council’s ability to manage and control its off-street parking environment in the form of implementing this Order;

2)          authority be delegated to the Head of Environmental and Housing Property Services and the Head of Legal, Democratic and Property Services to take all necessary steps to finalise the draft Order, schedules and car park plans and then publish, consult upon, make and implement an Off Street Parking Order in terms similar to the draft “Redditch Borough Council (Off Street Parking Places) Order 2023” (“the Order”); and

3)          authority be delegated to the Head of Environmental and Housing Property Services and Head of Legal, Democratic and Property Services to issue any passes or season tickets in accordance with the Order.