Proposed by Councillor Jeff Green

Seconded by Councillor Lesley Rennie

Council notes the unprecedented opposition to the Labour Leader’s plans to introduce car parking charges at:

·  Wirral’s parks

·  On-street parking in shopping centres

·  Fort Perch Rock

·  Promenades

And a 50p increase, on top of current charges, for all parking tariffs.

The robust opposition from local campaigners and Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors culminated in:

4011 signature petition objecting to car parking charges in New Brighton

2472 signature petition objecting to car parking charges in Hoylake

2450 signature petition objecting to car parking charges in Bromborough

3735 signature petition objecting to car parking charges in Moreton

1439 signature petition objecting to car parking charges in Irby

1104 signature petition objecting to car parking charges in West Kirby

711 signature petition objecting to car parking charges on Wirral’s High Streets

13,919 signature petition objecting to car parking charges in Wirral’s Country Parks

3268 signature petition objecting to car parking charges in Royden Park

A total of 33,109 signatures objecting to the Labour Administration’s car parking proposals.

While Council welcomes the embarrassing U-turn by the Leader of the Council in postponing any charges in: Wirral’s Town Centres, Fort Perch Rock and Promenades, and a reduction in his proposed increase to all parking tariffs from 50p to 20p, Council is concerned the Leader of the Council and his Labour colleagues have continued to ignore the 17,187 residents who have signed petitions against the introduction of ANY car parking charges in Wirral’s parks.

Council would like to take this opportunity to remind the Leader of the Council that Wirral Council Taxpayers already pay for the use and upkeep of our parks via the annual Council Tax they pay and believes our residents should not be charged twice for the use of their parks by the imposition of car parking charges.

Council notes the Leader of the Council’s ambition that Wirral Council should behave in a more ‘commercial’ manner. 

Council would also direct him to successful commercial operations such as Marks and Spencer, Sainsburys, Tesco, ASDA, Morrisons, Aldi, Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet and the Croft Retail Park who have not introduced car parking charges and, from what Council can tell, have no intention to do so.

Council believes that ANY increase in car parking tariffs will have a damaging effect for Wirral’s shopping centres and the introduction of car parking charges in our parks will do untold damage to the grassroots football clubs, golfing societies, mental health charities and small businesses associated with them.

Council therefore requests the Leader of the Council to:

(a)  withdraw his proposal of a 20p increase on all existing car parking tariffs

(b)  withdraw his plan to introduce car parking charges at Wirral’s parks in their entirety.

Following a debate and prior to hearing the seconder of the motion, Councillor P Davies asked the Assistant Director: Law and Governance to give advice in respect of those Members who would sit on the Business Overview and Scrutiny Committee to hear a call-in on this matter and whether or not they should vote on this motion.

The Assistant Director: Law and Governance stated that he had provided Members with advice before the meeting to all political groups and that Members needed to consider the issue of pre-determination and bias and Section 25 of the Localism Act, 2011. He advised those Members intending to hear the call-in that they should not vote but abstain, otherwise they could be in contravention of the Members’ Code of Conduct and could be subject to investigation if a complaint was made. It was ultimately for Members to decide.

In response to a comment from Councillor Blakeley, the Assistant Director: Law and Governance, informed the Council that those Members who had signed a call-in did not fall foul of any pre-determination as the call-in notice simply indicated that there was merit in hearing further evidence about the decision taken and was not evidence of Members having made up their minds about the issue.

Following a speech from the seconder and Councillor Green having replied to the debate, Councillor Green and five Conservative Members rose to request a ‘card vote’.

A ‘card vote’ was then taken on the motion and the Council divided as follows:

For the motion (24) Councillors T Anderson, B Berry, C Blakeley, E Boult, A Brighouse, D Burgess-Joyce, C Carubia, Mrs W Clements, D Elderton, G Ellis, P Gilchrist, J Green, J Hale, P Hayes, A Hodson, K Hodson, S Kelly, I Lewis, T Pilgrim, L Rennie, L Rowlands, A Sykes, G Watt and S Williams.

Against the motion (30) Councillors P Brightmore, P Cleary, A Davies, G Davies, P Davies, W Davies, P Doughty, S Foulkes, T Johnson, A Jones, C Jones, B Kenny, A McLachlan, M McLaughlin, J McManus, C Meaden, B Mooney, C Muspratt, T Norbury, M Patrick, D Realey, L Reecejones, PA Smith, W Smith, T Usher, J Walsh, S Whittingham, I Williams, KJ Williams and J Williamson.

Nine abstentions – Councillors P Hackett, T Jones, A Leech, D Mitchell, C Spriggs, J Stapleton, P Stuart, M Sullivan and W Ward.

The motion was therefore lost (24:30) (Nine abstentions).