Agenda and minutes

1.         This meeting is to be webcast. Members are reminded of the need to switch on their microphones on before speaking.

2.         The Chairman will read the following announcement:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the Internet and will be capable of repeated viewing.

If you are seated in the lower public seating area it is likely that the recording cameras will capture your image and this will result in the possibility that your image will become part of the broadcast.

This may infringe your human and data protection rights and if you wish to avoid this you should move to the upper public gallery”

The Committee noted that the meeting would be webcast.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

There were no substitute Members for the meeting.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

No declarations of interest were made pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct.

To consider a call of the Cabinet Decision on Free Car Parking on Saturdays (C/067/2006-07). Reports attached.

The Committee were asked to consider the call-in of a Cabinet decision of 13 November 2007 (C/067/2006-07) regarding free car parking proposals for Saturdays. It was noted that six Members had requested that the decision should be called in and that the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had determined that the request be determined by this extraordinary meeting of the Committee. The Committee had before them copies of the report submitted to the Cabinet on which the decision was based and of the written notification of the call-in and a covering report to the committee by the Head of Service responsible for the decision.

In accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure rules, the representative of the Councillors calling-in the decision (Councillor Mrs J Whitehouse, who vacated the Vice-Chairmanship of the meeting in order to present their case) outlined their concerns, which were summarised in the call-in notification. She pointed out that they were not against the concept of free parking on a Saturday but were concerned about the manner in which the decision was taken. That being:

(i)            Financial – no account was taken of the ‘knock-on’ effects of the reduced use of the short stay car parks and on-street pay and display bays.

(ii)        No account had been taken of the potential effects on weekday parking charges, which are set to rise in the next financial year with a potential negative effect on town centres.

(iii)       It was unclear how the £75,000 loss to the Continuing Service Budget would be funded, whether by Council Tax rises, cuts to services, increases to fees and charges or some other method.

(iv)       That at this time of financial strain it pre-empts the budget making process.

(v)            Operational – the link between the level of car park charges and the vitality and viability of Epping Forest’s Centres has not been properly considered; therefore it was not clear that the Cabinet’s decision would have the intended effect.

(vi)       The criteria for review had not been established, meaning that the success of the scheme could not be properly measured.

(vii)      The effect on parking as a whole in the effected towns (especially in Loughton and Buckhurst Hill) had not been properly evaluated.

(viii)            Procedural – there had been insufficient consultation with town and parish councils and local ward members, meaning that some of the potential consequences of the decision had not been properly considered.

One of the councillors who had signed the call-in, Councillor K Wright added that the key issue here was support form Town Councils – there was no evidence that free parking would bring any benefits. It was unusual to spend the money without evidence; the money could be better spent elsewhere. Also the implications of the proposals need careful monitoring. He was pleased that the Cabinet had allocated £75,000 to support Town Councils, but they may need the money spent in other ways.

Councillor J Markham, another signature on the call-in added that he was not opposed to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64.