Meeting documents

To consider a report in relation to the petition and to ask the Panel to make a decision based on the options available, and in accordance with the Petitions Scheme.

The Petitions Panel gained a full understanding of the issues in the Park District and it was very clear that there was an ongoing issue regarding the imbalance between the parking spaces, and the number of residents’ and hotel permits that are in circulation.  The analysis work undertaken by the Parking Team during May 2018 provided clear evidence of why this issue existed.

It was noted that the Parking Services Team Leader was supportive of a review of the existing Policy.

As a conclusion to the meeting the Petitions Panel were supportive of there being a review of the Policy to bring it in line with other towns across Dorset.

There were two aspects to the policy review which the Petitions Panel felt could be introduced in order to try and redress the balance:

1.       The business/hotel permit should be made available at an enhanced cost, but with parking permitted only in the Town Centre Car Parks and not in the residential areas.

2.       The number of permits per household would not be restricted but subject to a sliding scale of increased charges for each subsequent car attached to that particular household.

Because of the uncertainty of Councillors’ roles prior to the inception of the new Unitary Authority in April, it was very difficult for the Petitions Panel at the present time to provide the lead petitioner with a timetable by which the policy would be reviewed by the relevant Committee, however, the views taken by the Petitions Panel were confirmed and as soon as matters become clearer in terms of confirmed roles and responsibilities, the matter would be taken forward.