Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

Thre were no declartions of interest.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relevant to the work of the body in question.  Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers. Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

No members of the public were present.

To consider the introduction of pay and display charges at this car park.

1.1.    That the proposal to introduce Pay and Display charges at Nelson Pit Visitor Centre Car Park, off Lyme Road, Higher Poynton be approved subject to formal consultation and the Cheshire East Borough Council (Off-Street Parking Places) (Consolidated) Order 2015 (as amended) be further amended.  In the event that objections are received that cannot be resolved, the Interim Executive Director of  Place to have the delegated authority to determine whether and how to proceed after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Health.

1.2.    In the event of there being no outstanding objections, or the Interim Executive Director of Place  after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Health deciding to proceed notwithstanding any outstanding objection, to authorise the making and bringing into force of the proposed tariffs, hours of operation and other variations set out below:

(a)      that the charges payable in connection with the use of the Nelson Pit Visitor Centre car park, off Lyme Road, Higher Poynton  on all days      between the hours of 9.00 am and 9.00 pm would be:

0 – 1 hours             £0.70

1 – 3 hours             £2.00

3 – 10 hours           £2.50

(b)      a 12 monthly permit to cost £55 to allow parking at any of the following Parking Places: Nelson Pit Car Park, Teggs Nose Country Park and Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve Car Park

(c)       a limited number (5) of 12 month permits be made available at a cost of £50 each to allow parking at Nelson Pit Car Park available to persons who, in the opinion of the Council

i)         fulfil the conditions of the Council’s Residents Parking Policy; and

ii)        live permanently on canal boats within 100 yards of Nelson Pit Car Park.

(d)      that the hours of operation of Nelson Pit Car Park would be all days and all hours;

(e)      that the maximum period a vehicle may wait within the Charging Hours would be 10 hours; the exception being those holding a permit  referred to in 2.2 (c) above.

(f)        that Nelson Pit Car Park may be used by the following classes of vehicles: (i) motor cars (within the provisions of section 136(2) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (‘the 1984 Act’)); (ii) motor cycles (as defined by section 136(4) of the 1984 Act); (iii) other motor vehicles (of a gross weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes); (iv) invalid carriages (as defined by section 136(5) of the 1984 Act).

The Nelson Pit Visitor Centre Car Park serves a number of different leisure facilities, including the Middlewood Way footpath and bridlepath, canal visits, and longer walks on the public rights of way network to Lyme Park.  The car park is well used, and heavily occupied at peak times which results in overspill onto local roads.

It was reported that the introduction of tariffs and operating hours were designed to give customers the convenience of finding bays on the car park more quickly. At both Teggs Nose Country Park and Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve, the principle of charging for site car parking, with the revenue going towards the provision of the site facilities was already accepted. It was considered that the same principle whereby the provision of toilets, visitor centre, an appropriate car park, and facilities are provided (as at Teggs Nose and Brereton) and that this proposal will provide a consistent approach. 

Assumptions of usage and estimated income levels were based on a similar level to other countryside car parks. Any surplus earned after operating costs would be utilised for the  management of countryside facilities and amenities including the adjacent Middlewood Way, Jacksons Brickworks and Poynton Coppice.

Residents of canal boats use the car park, and had hitherto enjoyed free parking, including unauthorised and limited over night parking on this site. An annual permit priced at £50 was proposed by paragraph 2.2(c) above, which is in line with other residents parking permits within the Borough and would serve to provide for continued maintenance of the car park facility.

The charges proposed were similar to those levied at similar facilities elsewhere in the Borough (for example Teggs Nose Country Park and Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve) which also included Sundays within the charging hours. This was due to the nature of use of the facility primarily for leisure. Other off-street parking spaces within half a mile of Nelson Pit Visitor Centre (e.g. Poynton Coppice car park and Jackson’ Brickworks car park) would remain free.

RESOLVED

1.    That the proposal to introduce Pay and Display charges at Nelson Pit Visitor Centre Car Park, off Lyme Road, Higher Poynton be approved subject to formal consultation and the Cheshire East Borough Council (Off-Street Parking Places) (Consolidated) Order 2015 (as amended) be further amended.  In the event that objections are received that cannot be resolved, the Interim Executive Director of  Place to have the delegated authority to determine whether and how to proceed after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Health.

2.    In the event of there being no outstanding objections, or the Interim Executive Director of Place  after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Health deciding to proceed notwithstanding any outstanding objection, to authorise the making and bringing into force of the proposed tariffs, hours of operation and other variations set out below:

(a)      that the charges payable in connection with the use of the Nelson Pit Visitor Centre car park, off Lyme Road, Higher Poynton  on all  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.