Background

The Council, at its meeting on 9 February 2023, agreed the motion below.  A proposed letter, drafted by the Leader of the Council, is attached.

This Council notes:

1.     The unilateral decision by Surrey County Council to return devolved on-street parking enforcement back to County control.

2.     That these services were previously provided by Runnymede Borough Council, along with other districts and boroughs, and could be highly responsive to the needs of residents and the concerns of Councillors, where they were fully resourced.

3.     Where streets faced parking overspill or parking stress, Councillors and residents are able to apply for a resident parking permit (RPP) scheme to ensure a level of specific control over the area or street considered.

4.     That in Runnymede 7 such schemes are presently in place in the following streets:

• Burn Close
• The Hythe
• Hythe Road
• Cumberland Street
• Railway Terrace
• Thorpe Road
• Wick Road

5.     That the current permit charge is £80 for first permit issued to a household, £100 for second permit issued to a household and £130 for three or more permits issued to a household.

6.     That the revenue derived by these permits had previously gone into expanding the enforcement team in Runnymede and ensured residents had a better opportunity to park outside their own home and that parking safety was enhanced.

7.     That the unilateral decision by Surrey County Council has had a detrimental impact to this Borough’s ability to enforce these permits and generally maintain the same level of staffing in our parking team.

8.     That residents in Egham Hythe, Englefield Green West and Addlestone North where RPPs are in force are now paying the same price for a permit and a service which is less valuable than it was last year, with lower enforcement ability.

The Council resolves:

That the Leader write a letter to the Leader of Surrey County Council to make the following points, with group leaders who are agreement with the sentiments raised, invited to co-sign it:

1.     That this Council once again reiterates that it believes it is the wrong decision to return those devolved on street enforcement powers back to the County Council.

2.     That we request a revised and published timetable for completion and role out of the new service provided by Surrey County Council and that it be shared with this Council and our residents.

3.     That we reiterate this Council’s wish for all new and transferred staff to be employed with a local remit and base, to ensure their local knowledge is not lost in the new service.

4.     That Runnymede Borough Council encourages Surrey County Council to consider suitable compensation to those Runnymede residents who held a Residential Parking Permit, that the actions of the County have impaired the ability to enforce.

5.     That the Leader of Surrey County Council is asked to confirm that in future, in the spirit of providing good and efficient public services regardless of who provides them, no future unilateral decisions will be taken without consulting districts and boroughs where their services or roles will be directly affected.

Recommendation

That the Corporate Management Committee review and agree a draft of the letter to be sent to the Leader of Surrey County Council.

The draft letter was reviewed by the Committee.

It was resolved that the draft letter be agreed, subject to:

1)    The reference to “villages across the borough” being amended to “Englefield Green”.

2)    An inclusion referencing compensation for Runnymede’s residents being made, in accordance with the motion agreed by the Council.