Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed Members and Officers to the final meeting of the Board for the Municipal year.

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

(The special circumstance shall be specified in the minutes.)

There were no late items, however Minute No. 67 of the Executive Board Minutes of 20^th September 2006, which was relevant to Item 9 ‘Town and District Centre Car Parking Strategies’ (Minute No. 95 refers), was circulated for information.

To declare any personal/prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81(3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 13 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Councillors Latty and Lobley declared personal interests in Agenda Item 9 (Minute No. 95 refers), ‘Town and District Centre Car Parking Strategies’, as  their respective Area Committees had commissioned consultants Mouchel Parkman to carry out a town and district centre parking study.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Davey.

To receive and approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 20^th March 2007.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 20^th March 2007 be approved as a correct record.

To receive the Executive Board minutes of the meeting held on 14^th March 2007.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Executive Board meeting held on 14^th March 2007 be noted.

To note the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 5^th March 2007.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 5^th March 2007 be noted.

To consider a report of the Director of Development which updates Members on ongoing town and district centre car parking.

The Director of Development submitted a report updating Members on work being undertaken to develop a framework to set the priorities and guide the future development of parking strategies for town and district centres.  Attached was the report to the Executive Board of 20^th September.  The minute from the Executive Board, relevant to this item, was also circulated to the Board.

The Chair welcomed to the meeting Steve Speak, Chief Strategy and Policy Officer and Andrew Hall, Policies and Programme Manager, both from the Development Department.  Members were advised that it was envisaged that the results of the study and the consultant’s recommendations would be available by the end of May 2007.

Lengthy discussion ensued on the contents of the report.  Members understood that parking in town and district centres needed to be managed otherwise local economies would suffer.

In brief the following issues were discussed:

·  Charging for parking

·  Park and Ride

·  Local Businesses

·  Partnership working

·  Public transport

·  The changing face of town and district centres

·  Resources required to implement the consultant’s recommendations

·  The City RegionPartnership

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the general approach adopted by the Executive Board be supported.

(b)  That the Director of Development submit a report, following publication of the consultant’s findings, to this Scrutiny Board or its successor in the new municipal year, prior to the matter being considered by the Executive Board.

To consider a report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presenting the draft of the Board’s contribution to the Scrutiny Board Annual Report.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report presenting the Board’s draft contribution to the composite Scrutiny Board Annual Report that would be approved by Council.

Members requested that the section on ‘Parking in Town and District Centres’ be expanded to take account of this meeting’s discussions and that the layout be simplified for ease of reference.

RESOLVED – That the Scrutiny Board (Development)’s draft contribution to the Annual Report be approved subject to the amendments as above.

Members gave their best wishes to the Chair in his forthcoming term as Lord Mayor and the Chair thanked Board Members and Officers for their contributions during the year.

The meeting concluded at 10.45am.