To receive any questions from the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14.  Deadline for notification is 5.00pm on Friday 15 March 2024

A petition, bearing over 1000 signatures has been received from Shrewsbury BID, requesting a debate under the Council’s Petition Scheme.  The petition requests that the Council:

Halt damaging parking charge hikes.

The petitioner will be allowed 5 minutes to outline their case, after which there may a debate of up to a maximum of 15 minutes

The Chairman advised that public questions had been received from Kate Butler?, Patricia Kapalo?, Victoria Moore?, Tamarin Bibow?, Mike Dineen? and Andrew Bebb?.

A copy of the questions and the responses provided are attached to the signed minutes and available from the web page for the meeting.

Agenda for Council on Thursday, 21st March, 2024, 10.00 am — Shropshire Council

Petitions

The Speaker advised that a petition bearing more than 1,000 signatures received from Shrewsbury BID, requesting a debate under the Council’s Petition Scheme. The petition requests that the Council: Halt damaging parking charge hikes.?  Darren Tompkins on behalf of Shrewsbury BID was given 5 minutes to open the debate and outline his case, which was briefly as follows;

·         Raising the parking charges would have a lasting economic impact on the town centre

·         Many of those employed in the town centre will not be able to afford the increased parking charges

·         The current public transport provision and the Park and Rider service is inadequate

In closing he asked that the Council

1.    Limit future tariff increases in line with inflation

2.    Consult the business community on all changes to the town centre access and

3.    Implement coordinated plans to transform movement and grow the economy.

In response the Portfolio Holder for Highways stated that the Council was subject to the same inflationary pressures as other business which is what had prompted the proposed increases but as a result of the concerns raised by the BID and some of the proposals being referred back to cabinet by the Economy and Environment Scrutiny Committee, the Council have been carefully considering the original proposals and that some changes were being looked at and would be presented to cabinet for consideration at its April meeting.

After a short debate the Portfolio Holder proposed that he write to the petitioners setting out the Councils position.

On being put to a recorded vote with 38 Members voting for, 22 against and 2 abstentions as follows

FOR:

Councillors Aldcroft, Anderson, Bagnall, Bardsley, Barrow, Biggins, Bird, Broomhall, Burchett, Butler, Carroll, Charmley, Dakin, Davenport, Elner, Gill, Gittins, Harris, Hignett, Hunt, Hurst- Knight, M Jones, S Jones, Lea, Luff, Lumby, Macey, Morris, Motley, Mullock, Nellins, Picton, Schofield, Thomas, Turley, Wild, B Williams and Wynn

AGAINST:

Councillors Buckley, Connolly, Davies, J Evans, Green, Halliday, Hartin, Houghton, T Huffer, Kerr, Kidd, Moseley, Mosley, Pardy, Parry, Parsons, Sherrington, Towers, Vasmer, Wagner, M Williams and Wilson

ABSTENTION:

Councillors Bentick and R Evans

It was RESOLVED:

That the Portfolio Holder write to the Petitioners setting out the Councils position