An empty Car Park!  

               It doesn't happen often

RESIDENTS’ PARKING IN HAY-ON-WYE !

Hay-on-Wye ward Councillor Gareth Ratcliffe’s letter to Powys Chief Executive, Jeremy Patterson

In December 2012, Councillor Ratcliffe wrote to Jeremy Patterson complaining that insufficient preparation was being made by the council for the shortly forthcoming lifting of the moratorium of the review of parking restrictions, traffic management and off street parking originally passed by Powys County Council in July 2011and reaffirmed by the present administration.

Councillor Ratcliffe contended that in the continuing absence of the provision of residents’ parking, considerable ill will and anger was being generated towards the council by Parking Wardens ticketing cars in Hay-on-Wye from 8:30 in the morning when most cars booked belonged to residents.

Councillor Ratcliffe believed the council have still not made any progress on the issue and whilst he accepted they have agreed to lift the moratorium in April, he felt that unless proper preparations were made for the review residents and traders, already feeling the pressure of the economic downturn, could be kept waiting for a further 12 months before anything will be resolved.

The Chief Executive was asked to investigate why no progress had been made to prepare the community for the prospective changes and whether he supported the introduction of this change of policy which Cllr Ratcliffe believed would enjoy the support of the local community.

The email concluded with Councillor Ratcliffe’s reiteration of his frustration at the council’s inaction but he believed that the Hay community he represented would be happy to work with the council on a residents’ parking policy and would welcome the opportunity for Hay-on-Wye to be used as a trial for a county wide scheme.

Jeremy Patterson’s reply to Cllr. Gareth Ratcliffe dated 15^th January 2013

Dear Councillor Ratcliffe,

Thank you for your letter received on 17^th December 2012 concerning car parking in Hay-on-Wye.  I understand you have now met with Steve Holdaway and agreed the following:

• regular liaison with the Town Council on parking enforcement
• the trialling of residents parking in the town to commence next fiscal year

As you might appreciate the lifting of the moratorium on Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) was only agreed by Cabinet in September, but suspect the funds will be made available through the budget process for 2013/14.  This will enable implementation of new policies such as residents parking which are currently being developed.

Whilst I appreciate your community’s frustrations over the apparent delay in moving car parking issues forward, it is regrettable that the lack of approved funding would have prevented implementation of any new TRO’s as a result of policy changes.  Indeed, the allocation of extra funds to lift the moratorium was not supported through the 2012/13 budget setting round.  I therefore don’t believe officers have deliberately ignored recommendations but rather haven’t had the wherewithal to implement new policies.

That said I am confident this has now been addressed for the new fiscal year.

I am also aware that your community’s residents’ parking proposals have been taken into account as part of previous consultations with Community and Town Councils and that it is intended to liaise with you again, and The Mayor of Hay-on-Wye, to gain community support to introduce any new arrangements in the town.

Regarding ongoing frustration over enforcement in the Town, I know you have discussed this with Steve Holdaway and I expect that the agreed way forward will help to eliminate these tensions, until such time as a residents parking policy is introduced in the Town.

I hope this has gone some way to address your concerns over this matter.

Yours sincerely

Jeremy Patterson

Chief Executive

15^th January 2013 Update

Hay-on-Wye Town Council are meeting with the Powys County Council portfolio holder Cllr. Barry Thomas and Phil Jackson, Powys County Council Parking Officer to discuss the possibility of residents parking in the town.

A representative of Powys County Council is scheduled to meet next week with Powys County Councillor Gareth Ratcliffe and Hay Town Councillor Alan Powell to discuss the impact of the activity of traffic wardens on the town

  

NOTE

14^th July 2012 - NOTICE OF MOTION CC84 – 2011

The motion proposed by County Councillor G.W. Ratcliffe and seconded by County Councillor C.E. Powell.

That from September 2011 this Council will start to work on the feasibility of a residents' parking policy with the assistance of the scrutiny committee. Also a review of parking restrictions, traffic management and off street parking with consultation with key stake holders such as Town and Community Councils and Chambers of Trade so when the moratorium is expected to be lifted in April 2012 and the Council will be able to move forward from this earlier point in 2012.

The motion was resolved

The exorbitant parking charges killing our small town centres

From The Daily Telegraph  Saturday 12th January 2013

By Christopher Hope

Senior Political Correspondent

EXORBITANT parking charges are threatening high street shops in small towns, a study suggests. Smaller town centres charge more for parking than larger retail loca­tions, meaning that they attract fewer shoppers, the research found.

Off-street parking tariffs in 90 towns and cities were surveyed based, on footfall, spending and centre quality by the Association of Town & City Management and the British Parking Association. Some mid-sized and smaller town centres "may be overcharging for car parking in rela­tion to the amenities on offer and suggests that this is contributing to their decline", the report found.

Shopping streets visited by between 200,000 and 250,000 people a week charged 18 per cent more than larger and more popular retail locations. Centres attracting fewer than 70,000 people a week were charging more for parking on average than those locations attracting up to 199,999 people a week.

Hie report suggested that part of the problem was councils using higher parking charges to stop peo­ple driving into the middle of towns on streets which pre-dated cars and widespread car ownership.

This had a knock-on effect because fewer people were visiting the shops, forcing some outlets to close. Ojay McDonald, policy manager at the Association of Town & City Management  said: "Local government must view the health of the local business community as the health of their own organisation and implement policies that support local businesses.

"There are concerns that fees are being introduced in areas where congestion is not an issue, or being raised to levels which stifle trade."

He added that funds had been diverted from car parks and reinvestment was not taking place.

MPs welcomed the report. Marcus Jones, chairman of the town centres parliamentary group, said: "Parking has become a very emotive topic for many people. The high street is fragile and accessibility has become a vital issue. I see this report as an important step in providing evidence that will ultimately support town centre regeneration."

Peter Box, chairman of the Local Government Association's Economy arid Transport Board, said: "Council parking charges are set in consultation with residents and businesses.

"Councils strive to strike a balance between discouraging. commuters from clogging spaces all day while not putting people off from shopping locally, and they operate a range of incentives such as free Sundays, cheaper evenings, free Christmas parking and community group discounts " He said the reduction in council budgets meant they had less to spend on roads and transport initiatives  "Surpluses from parking revenue help lessen the effect of these cuts as they must be spent on transport services such as filling potholes, bus passes for the elderly, park and ride schemes, street lights, parking services and road improvement projects."

The report came as administrators for Jessops, the chain of camera shops, said they were closing all of its 187 stores with the loss of 1,370 jobs. They said further job losses were likely at its head office in Leicester.
Jessops is the first high-profile retail casualty of 2013, after suffering from on-line competition and a boom in camera phones in recent years.

The law firm Begbies Traynor, which specialises in corporate recov­ery, said last month that 140 retailers were facing "critical" financial issues