Agenda item

Report of the Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services.

The Cabinet Member with the Local Services Portfolio introduced the report of the Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services (previously circulated) providing Members with an update on Town Centre Car Parking charges and seeking approval to continue a range of parking offers for a further two years, supported by funding from the Tees Valley Combined Authority.

The submitted report stated that parking offers had been in place to support the town centre since June 2018 and that in September 2020 (Minutes C27(2)/Sep/20 and 27/Sep/20 refer), Members agreed to extend parking offers in order to continue to provide support to the town centre, specifically on the approach to the Christmas period.

It was reported that the Tees Valley Combined Authority Cabinet at its meeting held on 27 November 2020 approved funding to support parking offers across the Tees Valley for a two year period; for Darlington that funding enabled a long-term parking offer to be put in place; and stated that a ‘free two hour parking offer’ was proposed in Council operated car parks and pay and display parking areas in the town centre area to support the town centre economy.

Particular references were made at the meeting to the carbon impact of the proposals and to the need to publicise the fact that tickets still needed to be displayed in cars for the ‘two hour’ free parking offer.  Reference was also made to whether the subsidy was increasing the number of cars and people into the town centre; other forms of transport could benefit from the funding to make better use of sustainable transport; and whether there were better ways of supporting the town centre.  The Leader and the Cabinet Member with the Local Services Portfolio responded thereon.

RESOLVED - That the proposed car parking charges and offers, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the submitted report, to be funded by the Tees Valley Combined Authority until the end of December 2022, be approved.

REASONS – (a) To approve the amendment to charges.

(b)  To support the recovery of the town centre.?????