Issue - meetings

Copy attached

It was moved by Councillor Sir Ron Watson, seconded by Councillor Prendergast:

Vehicle Parking Dukes Ward

Whilst it is accepted that Notices of Motion should normally be submitted when they have some bearing on the policy and/or strategic direction of the Council but there are occasions when a longstanding ward issue for Members who represent the area reach the stage where they need a higher level of senior involvement at both Member and Officer level.

Dukes Ward in Birkdale is the site of the Smedley Hydro complex.

The Smedley site provides a very important public service and employs not insignificant numbers of the local population in the Borough and on those two criteria alone it is an asset.

However, a complex of this size would not now be granted planning permission and it is no exaggeration to say that there has been a constant problem for decades over the vexed issue of car parking for Smedley employees.

Whilst the Council has made serious efforts to resolve some of the issues it remains a contentious problem and the adjoining residential roads and avenues suffer as a result as far as local residents and visitors are concerned.  The attempts made so far have to a large degree simply moved the problem from one area to another.

Whilst it was hoped that the move towards home working would alleviate the problem it does not seem to have made any discernible difference.

Ward Councillors have attempted to have the Highways Department, in conjunction with other agencies such as the Police, undertake a thorough overall review but Councillors have been advised that the resources required to do such an in-depth study are not available and this financial aspect is one reason why wider consideration needs to be given to helping resolve the difficulties.

The Council therefore resolves to:

(1)      Initiate and undertake a thorough review of parking in the area affected and as part of this process invite other interested parties;

(2)      Smedley Hydro management should be asked to provide senior managerial input as part of this process;

(3)      As there is involvement by the Home Office on a national basis in addition to the representations already made the Member of Parliament should form an integral part of the issues to be addressed;

(4)      The Southport & Birkdale Cricket Club should also be included as they had previously provided, by agreement with Smedley Hydro, car parking facilities for Smedley Hydro staff; and

(5)      Residents of the area should be consulted and the appropriate documentation provided to enable them to have their own individual input. Such a process now remains the only viable option and what is outlined in terms of recommendations would in itself help mitigate the continual and growing concern from reasonable residents whose lives are often blighted by this situation.

Following a debate on the Motion the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer officiated a vote and the Mayor declared that the Motion was lost by 43 votes to 11 with 1 abstention.