Decision details

Town Centre Day Rate Car Park Charges

Decision Maker: Bracknell Town Centre Regeneration Committee

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

The report recommends revised charges for car park day rate charges in September 2019.

Decision:

RESOLVED that the rates for The Avenue, High Street, Braccan Walk and Weather Way car parks are implemented from 1st October 2019, as per the table below.

	Current Rate	Proposed Rate	Proposed Increase
0 – 1	£1.40	£1.50	£0.10
1 – 2	£2.50	£2.70	£0.20
2 – 3	£3.20	£3.40	£0.20
3 – 4	£3.80	£4.00	£0.20
4 – 5	£5.00	£5.20	£0.20
5 – 6	£5.70	£5.90	£0.20
6 – 7	£6.30	£6.50	£0.20
7 – 8	£7.10	£7.30	£0.20
8+	£8.30	£8.50	£0.20
Night Charge	£1.50	£1.60	£0.10

Reasons for the decision:

The fees for The Avenue, High Street, Braccan Walk and Weather Way car parks are

reviewed annually in line with the anniversary of the opening of The Lexicon. They

have not been changed since The Avenue was opened in September 2017. If the

recommendation in this report is agreed and assuming that there is no year-on-year

changes to the volume and dwell time of visitors, the proposed increases will

generate an additional minimum of £125,000 per annum. At these rates, Bracknell

Forest’s car parks would remain more competitive than most other local retail centres

Alternative options considered:

i) The council could maintain the current charges for The Avenue, High Street, Braccan Walk and Weather Way car parks. This option is not recommended in the current budget circumstances and increasing current rates would generate a minimum of an additional £125,000 per annum. Additionally, as recently highlighted in the enforcement and parking management strategy, the service is under recovering on income against target by around £450,000. The increases proposed would help bridge some of this gap.

ii) The council could increase the charges further, as per the formula incorporated in the lease for The Avenue (see 5.3). The table below details the rates that this would produce but adopting them is not recommended as it would be more likely to have a negative impact on the number of people spending long periods of time in the town centre.

	Current Rate	Maximum Permitted Rate	Maximum Permitted Increase
0 – 1	£1.40	£1.50	£0.10
1 – 2	£2.50	£2.70	£0.20
2 – 3	£3.20	£3.40	£0.20
3 – 4	£3.80	£4.00	£0.20
4 – 5	£5.00	£5.30	£0.30
5 – 6	£5.70	£6.10	£0.40
6 – 7	£6.30	£6.70	£0.40
7 – 8	£7.10	£7.60	£0.50
8+	£8.30	£8.80	£0.50
Night Charge	£1.50	£1.60	£0.10

Interests and Nature of Interests Declared:

None

Reason Key: Affects more than 1 ward;

Wards Affected: (All Wards);

Financial Impact: The financial impact is set out in the report.

Declarations: None

Subject to Urgent Proceedings: No

Making Representations: In writing to the Executive Director: Delivery.

Other reasons / organisations consulted

Direct email/posting in window of the Car Park Office in the High Street Car Park and on the public website.

Consultees

Bracknell Town Centre management and car park users

Contact: Damian James, Assistant Director: Contract Services Email: damian.james@bracknell-forest.gov.uk Tel: 01344 355157.

Publication date: 10/09/2019

Date of decision: 09/09/2019

Effective from: 19/09/2019