A report by the Director of Technical Services sought the Cabinet’s endorsement for the development of a Wirral Traffic Model and Birkenhead Town Centre Transport Strategy that would enable a Wirral Parking Strategy to be developed. The report provided an overview of key issues to be considered in the development of a Wirral Parking Strategy and invited the Cabinet to advise of any additional points it wished to see being considered.

In view of the timescale involved in respect of the proposal for parking on the run-up to Christmas, the Cabinet considered the need to waive the call-in process.

Resolved:

(1)  The development of the Wirral Traffic Model and Birkenhead Town Centre Transport Strategy as described in Section 4.0 of the report be endorsed;

(2)  The development of a Wirral Parking Strategy, to complement the Council’s Integrated Regeneration Strategy and other corporate priorities, based on the principles in Section 5.0 of the report be endorsed;

(3)  The key issues in the report be noted.

(4)  In the light of difficulties being experienced by retailers as a result of the Economic Recession, the sum of up to £20,000 be taken from the money set aside from the 2009 reduction in the rate of VAT, in order to provide assistance on car parking charges in the run-up to Christmas, as happened last year.

(5)  “Free from Three” policy be instituted on the three Thursdays before Christmas, on the 3^, 10, 17 December 2009 in the shoppers’ car parks in Birkenhead, Liscard, Heswall and West Kirby and that there also be free parking all day Boxing Day and New Year’s Day to help attract shoppers to the Sales.

(6)  The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management be requested to enter into negotiations with the owner of the Cherry Tree Centre Car Park in Liscard to see if the Council can assist with allowing them to make the same offer to their shoppers.

(7)  Call-in on the matter of the free parking period outlined in points 4 – 6 above be waived to ensure that the necessary arrangements can be made before the Christmas period.