Agenda item - Fees and Charges 2017/18

Report of the Executive Director, Environment, Economy & Culture and the Executive Director Neighbourhoods, Community & Housing (copy attached).

1)           That Committee:

 

a)        Approves the proposed fees and charges for 2017/18 as set out within the report and its appendices save for as set out in paragraph 2.1 d) below.

 

b)        Delegates authority to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment & Culture to increase any charges for fees as notified and set by central Government during the year.

 

c)         Approves the introduction of a 50% discount on the cost of parking suspensions for charities and local community events with an estimated attendance of less than 15,000 and not already covered by an exemption such as Pride and Armed Forces Day.

 

d)        Recommends to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee that disabled bay application fees and individual bays be frozen at current rates.

 

 

63.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture and the Executive Director, Neighbourhoods, Community & Housing that set out the proposed 2017/18 fees and charges for the service areas covered by the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee in accordance with corporate regulations and policy.

 

63.2      The Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture explained that a proposed officer amendment to the report had been circulated to Members. The amendment was in relation to paragraph 3.11 that concerned highway fees and specifically Temporary Event Advertising signs and sought to clarify where the council was proposing to charge for public event signage. The Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture explained that the charge was only proposed for signage for advertising purposes and would not be applied to any reasonable directional signage used to direct people to the location of a public event in the city. Furthermore, charities would be entitled to a 50% reduction in the fee. The officer amendment to paragraph 3.11 is set out in bold italics with relevant deletions below:

 

City Transport

 

3.11   Highways (Appendix 3)

 

The majority of fees and charges will increase in line with the corporate rate of inflation with the following exceptions.

 

·                Fees relating to Section 50 Opening Charges and Works on the Highway (installation of ramps) have been reviewed and amended to reflect the cost of associated inspections and officer time. The proposed fees have therefore been set to ensure cost recovery.

 

·                It is proposed to introduce a new fee for Temporary Event Advertising Signs. Brighton and Hove is a very popular city for a range of events, for which many organisations wish to advertise on the public highway or need to provide temporary directional signage to the event location. There are specific requirements that must be met with regard to advertising and signing on the highway, which involves an officer assessing the application and sites for signage and authorising each location. The introduction of a new fee will allow the council to recover the costs for providing essential highway approval for these temporary advertisements and signage. It is estimated that an initial fee of £10 per sign for the first 50 reducing to £5 for any further signs will cover the cost of administrating this process. As the process is the same irrespective of type or size of the event, this fee will apply to all type of events, including charity events.  However, a 50% discount will be offered to charities.

 

The Brighton and Hove Traffic Management Permit scheme was introduced on 30th March 2015 as a way to manage activities in the public highway and to minimise disruption from street and road works. To meet the additional cost of introducing and operating a permit scheme, the Traffic Management Act 2004 gives permit authorities the power to charge a fee in respect of certain activities. Fees have been set at levels that are expected to reasonably cover the cost of the scheme and are reviewed on an annual basis.  It is proposed that fees will be maintained at existing rates in the 2017-18 financial year.  A schedule of fees is available on the council website.

 

63.3      Councillor Deane thanked officers for a detailed report and asked for clarity on the 50% increase in wasp nest removal.

 

63.4      The Environmental Health Manager explained that this was a new service introduced in 2016/17 and was not meeting cost recovery at its current fee.

 

63.5      Councillor Atkinson thanked officers for a comprehensive report. Councillor Atkinson welcomed sports booking fees remaining at the same level whilst discussions took place on the future of parks. Councillor Atkinson noted that most fees would only rise at the rate of corporate inflation which was a fair approach. Revised charges for parking appeared to be a sensible mixture of discouraging non-resident parking and promoting underused car parks and parking charges were one method of reducing congestion and air pollution. Councillor Atkinson stated that in relation to sustainable transport goals in the city, he hoped local bus operators would think carefully before raising their prices.

 

63.6      Councillor Janio asked for further clarification on the proposed increase to Temporary Event Advertising Signs specifically the proposed policy for those signs that provided directions and those advertising events.

 

63.7      The Chair stated that the officer amendment circulated clarified the policy and removed all references to directional signs and made the position of charities clear.

 

63.8      Councillor Miller noted that High Street car park had a proposed charge of £2,080 for an annual season ticket and asked for clarification as to why this was significantly higher than the main car parks such as Regency Street and Trafalgar Street. Furthermore, Councillor Miller noted that there was no three hour tariff and asked if residents and visitors would have to pay for four hours even if they stayed little over two hours.

 

63.9      The Assistant Director- City Transport answered that High Street car park was very busy and in the central area and the differential between that and other car parks reflected market rates. In relation to the query raised on two hour tariffs, the Assistant Director- City Transport confirmed that a stay longer than two hours and up to four hours would be charged at the four hour tariff price.

 

63.10   Councillor Greenbaum welcomed the report stating that the parking tariff management struck a fair balance. Councillor Greenbaum asked why all off-street parking did not increase at 2% and why second permits in households had not been introduced.

 

63.11   The Parking Strategy and Contracts Manager stated that the increases were considered in the context of traffic management and any increases were related to demand. The Parking Strategy and Contracts Manager clarified that second permits had not been considered due to several complications particularly in relation to students and which member of the household paid the higher charge.

 

63.12   Councillor Janio requested assurance that there would be no misinterpretation over what constituted advertising signs and directional signs.

 

63.13   The Chair provided her assurance to Councillor Janio on the matter.

 

63.14   Councillor Wares stated that he was supportive of the fees and charges proposed for allotments, sports clubs, flyer licensing, trading standards, commercial, trade and green waste and environmental health. Councillor Wares stated that he was concerned about the highways element of the report and it appeared to him that the case put forward for rises relating to congestion and pollution were a smokescreen for opportunistic rises. Councillor Wares referred to the fact there were no increases in off-street parking charges aside from one location which was opposite the i360. Councillor Wares noted that the Council needed the i360 to be a success and such proposals may deter visitors to the attraction. Councillor Wares added that increases to the price of permits for sole traders, small businesses, doctors, teachers and carers could not, in his view, possibly be to manage demand or congestion. Councillor Wares also believed there should be no increases to apply for a disabled bay.

 

63.15   On behalf of the Conservative Group, Councillor Wares moved the following motion to add recommendation 2.1 d), e) and f) as shown in bold italics below:

 

d)   Recommends to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee that on-street parking charges be frozen at current rates.

 

e)   Recommends to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee that parking permits of all types be frozen at current rates.

 

f)     Recommends to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee that disabled bay application fees and individual bays be frozen at current rates.

 

63.16   Councillor Miller formally seconded the motion.

 

63.17   On behalf of the Conservative Group, Councillor Miller moved a motion to add a recommendation 2.1 g) as shown in bold italics below:

 

g)   Recommends to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee that at Rottingdean Marine Cliffs, Rottingdean West Street car parks and Rottingdean High Street seafront pay and display; a free one hour tariff be introduced

 

63.18   Introducing the amendment, Councillor Miller stated that the three Rottingdean Coastal ward councillors had met with local traders that morning and they had asked for the proposal to be made. Councillor Miller explained that whilst Rottingdean High Street did have high levels of air pollution; many residents were elderly and had to travel by car. Local business had suffered in recent years and several had shut or were about to close due to parking charges and the fact that all villages in the surrounding area had free parking. There would also be a negative impact to the council through business rates lost.

 

63.19   Councillor Wares formally seconded the motion.

 

63.20   Councillor Greenbaum stated that whilst she was sympathetic to Councillor Miller’s amendment, it was necessary to think more progressively particularly in relation to air quality and a free one hour tariff was not the solution to such issues.

 

63.21   The Legal Officer advised that in the event any of the proposed motions were agreed, additional wording would be required at the end of 2.1 a) to reflect the Committees recommendation to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee.

 

63.22   The Chair put the officer amendment to the vote which was carried.

 

63.23   The Chair put 2.1 d) of the Conservative Group motion to the vote which failed.

 

63.24   The Chair put 2.1 e) of the Conservative Group motion to the vote which failed.

 

63.25   The Chair put 2.1 f) of the Conservative Group motion to the vote which was carried.

 

63.26   The Chair put 2.1 g) of the Conservative Group motion to the vote which failed.

 

63.27   The Chair then put the recommendations, as amended, to the vote which was carried.

 

63.28   RESOLVED- That Committee:

 

a)        Approves the proposed fees and charges for 2017/18 as set out within the report and its appendices save for as set out in d) below.

 

b)        Delegates authority to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment & Culture to increase any charges for fees as notified and set by central Government during the year.

 

c)         Approves the introduction of a 50% discount on the cost of parking suspensions for charities and local community events with an estimated attendance of less than 15,000 and not already covered by an exemption such as Pride and Armed Forces Day.

 

d)        Recommends to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee that disabled bay application fees and individual bays be frozen at current rates.