Agenda item

In accordance with Standing Order 21, Cllr J Davies will move the following motion:-

 

Re-instating the one-hour free parking period on Lymington High Street

 

Council notes:

 

·        That Hampshire County Council is responsible for on-street parking across the county, including in the New Forest.

·        That the free on-street parking period in Lymington has been reduced from one hour to just twenty minutes.

·        That local shopkeepers and residents have raised concerns that twenty minutes is not long enough for people to use multiple shops, visit cafés, or support local services on the high street.

·        That Lymington and Pennington Town Council recently voted to support the campaign by shopkeepers for the reinstatement of the one-hour free parking period on Lymington High Street.

 

Council believes:

 

·        That the reduction from one hour to twenty minutes free parking is damaging to the vitality of Lymington High Street.

·        That a reasonable period of free parking supports both residents during a cost-of-living crisis and our small businesses who rely on local footfall.

·        That the council should support the campaign by local shopkeepers in pressing for fairer parking policy.

 

Council recommends:

 

·        That the Leader of the Council writes formally to Hampshire County Council requesting the reinstatement of at least one hour of free on-street parking in Lymington (with correspondence to be made available to all councillors).

·        That the council engages with local business groups, chambers of commerce, and residents’ associations to gather evidence on the impact of parking policy on high streets across the district, to strengthen the case for fairer parking provision.

 

Cllr McCarthy will second the motion.

 

Under the provisions of Standing Order 42, the above motion, after being proposed and seconded (without speeches), should stand referred to the body within whose terms of reference the subject matter of the motions comes, or the Cabinet or such Committees or Panels that the Council may determine.

 

The Chairman may allow the motion to be dealt with at this meeting if they consider it urgent, convenient or conducive to the despatch of business.

 

The Chairman announced that in accordance with Standing Order 42.2, that he would allow the motion to be dealt with at the meeting, as he considered it to be convenient to the despatch of business.

 

In accordance with Standing Order 21, Cllr J Davies moved the following motion:-

 

Re-instating the one-hour free parking period on Lymington High Street

 

Council notes:

 

·       That Hampshire County Council is responsible for on-street parking across the county, including in the New Forest.

·       That the free on-street parking period in Lymington has been reduced from one hour to just twenty minutes.

·       That local shopkeepers and residents have raised concerns that twenty minutes is not long enough for people to use multiple shops, visit cafés, or support local services on the high street.

·       That Lymington and Pennington Town Council recently voted to support the campaign by shopkeepers for the reinstatement of the one-hour free parking period on Lymington High Street.

 

Council believes:

 

·       That the reduction from one hour to twenty minutes free parking is damaging to the vitality of Lymington High Street.

·       That a reasonable period of free parking supports both residents during a cost-of-living crisis and our small businesses who rely on local footfall.

·       That the council should support the campaign by local shopkeepers in pressing for fairer parking policy.

 

Council recommends:

 

·       That the Leader of the Council writes formally to Hampshire County Council requesting the reinstatement of at least one hour of free on-street parking in Lymington (with correspondence to be made available to all councillors).

·       That the council engages with local business groups, chambers of commerce, and residents’ associations to gather evidence on the impact of parking policy on high streets across the district, to strengthen the case for fairer parking provision.

 

Cllr J Davies addressed the motion, highlighting that Lymington high street was at the heart of the town, that it was a place of history, business and of community.  The heart was being weakened as a result of the HCC decision to remove the one hour free parking, therefore impacting on residents and businesses.  He asked that the council request HCC to restore the one-hour free parking in support of Lymington businesses, the people and the future of the town.

 

Cllr M Wade seconded the motion.

 

Cllr Cleary proposed an amendment to the motion which added the following points under council notes:

 

·       That work is already underway to address concerns about parking policy, including active engagement by local Lymington ward councillors with residents, businesses, and Hampshire County Council.

·       That ward councillors have been working to raise awareness of the impact of the reduced free parking period and to support the campaign for reinstatement through formal and informal channels.

·       That this local work has helped to bring attention to the issue.

 

Cllr Cleary also proposed an amendment to the motion that the following bullet point be removed, under council recommends:

 

·       That the council engages with local business groups, chambers of commerce, and residents’ associations to gather evidence on the impact of parking policy on high streets across the district, to strengthen the case for fairer parking provision.

 

Cllr Heron seconded the amendment.

 

A number of members spoke in opposition to the amendment on the basis that they felt it would slow down any decision, and that the retailers needed more immediate support to ensure their financial sustainability.  It was felt that the District Council should do all it could to engage and to show support to local businesses.

 

Members who spoke in support of the amendment felt that it demonstrated ongoing support for retailers.  It was recognised that the local members, in particular Cllr Dunning, had been working with local businesses to put pressure on Hampshire County Council to restore the one-hour free parking and that a deputation would be made at a HCC Universal Services Committee meeting on 20 October which would discuss on street parking across Hampshire.  It was felt that the amendment should be supported as it sought to support to work being carried out by the local ward councillors.

 

Cllr J Davies reported that he had no concerns regarding the inclusion of the additional points proposed under “council notes”, however he did not support the removal of the point under “council recommends”, as he felt it was crucial to the intention of the motion.  He therefore did not support the amendment.

 

Put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

 

Members went on to debate the substantive motion. 

 

Those who spoke in support of the motion recognised that the removal of the one hour free parking had had an impact, with a reduction in footfall on the high street and that the businesses and retailers had seen this impact with reduced trade.  A petition had been brought forward by a local shop owner and this had 7,000 signatures, requesting to change the free parking period to one hour.  It was recognised that if a town like Lymington had seen an impact in footfall as a result of the parking charge, then other towns, such as New Milton or Hythe in the district would also see an impact if similar parking charges were introduced.  Members therefore felt it was important to support the towns and the local businesses in the district.

 

One member suggested that the District Council could consider options around the NFDC car parks and provide an hour free parking to support local businesses and the high street.

 

RESOLVED:

 

Re-instating the one-hour free parking period on Lymington High Street

 

Council notes:

 

·       That Hampshire County Council is responsible for on-street parking across the county, including in the New Forest.

·       That the free on-street parking period in Lymington has been reduced from one hour to just twenty minutes.

·       That local shopkeepers and residents have raised concerns that twenty minutes is not long enough for people to use multiple shops, visit cafés, or support local services on the high street.

·       That Lymington and Pennington Town Council recently voted to support the campaign by shopkeepers for the reinstatement of the one-hour free parking period on Lymington High Street.

 

That Council further notes:-

 

·       That work is already underway to address concerns about parking policy, including active engagement by local Lymington ward councillors with residents, businesses, and Hampshire County Council.

·       That ward councillors have been working to raise awareness of the impact of the reduced free parking period and to support the campaign for reinstatement through formal and informal channels.

·       That this local work has helped to bring attention to the issue.

 

Council believes:

 

·       That the reduction from one hour to twenty minutes free parking is damaging to the vitality of Lymington High Street.

·       That a reasonable period of free parking supports both residents during a cost-of-living crisis and our small businesses who rely on local footfall.

·       That the council should support the campaign by local shopkeepers in pressing for fairer parking policy.

 

Council recommends:

 

·       That the Leader of the Council writes formally to Hampshire County Council requesting the reinstatement of at least one hour of free on-street parking in Lymington (with correspondence to be made available to all councillors).