North Yorkshire County Council has put forward proposals for parking charges to apply in Harrogate during evenings and on Sundays – both times are currently free parking times in the town.
The proposal was brought before the Harrogate Area Committee on 28 May 2015. At that time it was for information only and the proposal will now go to discussion. The Area Committee is formed from the Harrogate District County Councillors and a number of co-opted members. The Committee will not be asked to vote on the change at any time.
Currently each year the County Council takes a parking revenue of £2.5m in Harrogate and after management costs, take a profit of £1.68m. Harrogate Borough Council manage the on-street parking on behalf of the County Council and also operate additional off-street, chargeable parking facilities themselves.
The County Council say that the changes are needed to free-up parking spaces and that there will benefit to Harrogate and retail trade.
About the process from here:
- Consultation with selected parties
- Consultation report to Harrogate Area Committee – 1o September 2015
- Consultation report to and decision by the Corporate Director of Business and Environmental Services (BES) David Bowe in consultation with the Executive Members for BES – 28 September 2015
- North Yorkshire County Council say there is potential for implementation by the end of the 2014/15 financial year
The Consultation will consult with the following:
- Chairman of the County Area Committee for the Harrogate District
- County Councillors for the affected areas
- Harrogate Borough Council
- All affected frontages in the pay and display zone
- North Yorkshire Police
- North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue service
- North Yorkshire Ambulance Service
- Emergency Doctor Service
- Harrogate Chamber of Trade and Commerce
- Federation of Small Business
- Bus companies
- Road Haulage Association
- Freight Transport Association
- British Driving Society
- Taxis organisations
About the consultation and decision:
The decision will be made by David Bowe, the BES Corporate Director and not by Councillor vote.
The consultation does not consult with the vast majority of the public that would incur the additional parking fees.
The consultation is with the Harrogate central County Councillors, Cllr Jean Butterfield and Cllr Richard Cooper and not with Councillors in other areas of the Harrogate District, yet they are likely to be home to those that will have to pay the additional charge.
There is an independent poll at Change.org www.change.org/p/north-yorkshire-county-council-abandon-plans-to-charge-for-parking-in-the-evenings-and-sundays
The Harrogate Informer also has an online poll
These proposed car parking charges for after 6 pm and Sundays would deter residents going out for the evening and visitors to the town centre thereby affecting trade in the service industries. There is enough revenue coming in from the multi-storey car parks for NYCC. If NYCC are making a profit of £1.68 m per year from within the Harrogate District, then how much are they making from the other six local authorities within their domain? That’s the way I see it anyway.
Also the decision should be taken by elected councillors within the Area Committee concerned and not by NYCC officers as this is an issue of democratic accountability to the electorate as a whole.