Agenda and draft minutes

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Items
No. Item

1a

Consultation on Environment Directorate's Budget and Draft Savings For 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 850 KB

Report of the Director of Environment

Additional documents:

Minutes:

1.   CONSULTATION ON ENVIRONMENT DIRECTORATE'S BUDGET AND DRAFT SAVINGS FOPR 2019/20

 

1.1       901 Parking Tariff Increase

 

Officers informed the committee of the proposed additional 30p charge to the parking tariff structure. Officers explained that the charge would only be applied from the third hour onwards and that it would not apply to the first two hours. Officers added it was estimated that this budget proposal would generate £30,000.

Members questioned why the charging tariff at the car parks in Pontardawe were different to the rest of the county borough, and were there plans to bring them all in line with each other. Members added that the first hour of parking was offered for free in the car parks in Pontardawe. Officers informed the committee that the arrangement in Pontardawe was a historic position, whereby the Chamber of Trade had previously put a case forward to the Council in order to attract customers to the town centre. Officers added that the current arrangement would be reviewed in future.

Members questioned what data was used when determining the cost modelling for the car parks. Officers stated that the cost modelling was based on data for each car park and that usage was a key consideration. Officers reported that a spreadsheet had been set up which gave the projected figures based on the uplift entered into the relevant fields. Officers stated that a ten to thirty percent risk element had been applied to any future forecasts to take into account potential decreases in usage due to the increase in charges.

Following scrutiny, the committee were supportive of the budget proposal.

1.2    902 I
ncreased income from Neath Inspired or car park usage

Officers informed the committee that the Council were two years into the partnership agreement with Neath Inspired, which was aimed to increase footfall into the Neath town centre. Officers stated that the Council had offered subsidised parking initiatives to Neath Inspired such as the ’free after three’ parking initiative, and for events such as the Neath Food and Drink Festival, Real Ale Festival and the Neath Great Guitar Gig, which Neath Inspired contributed to. Officers explained that the Council aimed to reduce the parking subsidy on ‘free after three.’

Following scrutiny, the committee were supportive of the budget proposal.

1.3    903 Engineering & Transport Cost Saving

Officer informed the committee that there were two members of staff who had indicated that they wished to take early retirement, but were still awaiting their figures. Members questioned that with staff leaving and not being replaced, was this placing pressure on remaining team members. Officers stated that the volume of work was the issue with less resources available to carry out tasks; however this was an issue encountered across the entire directorate. Officers added that the capacity to respond swiftly had been affected, and that some tasks would have to take longer to be dealt with.

Following scrutiny, the committee were supportive of the budget proposal.


1.4    904 -
Highways Development Control

Officers explained that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1a