Agenda item

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. Members of the public may speak on agenda items or on matters within the remit of the Executive.

Please note that our registration deadlines are set as 2 working days before the meeting, in order to facilitate the management of public participation at our meetings.  The deadline for registering at this meeting is 5:00pm on Friday 30 June 2025.         

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It was reported that there had been ten registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

One of the representatives registered to speak reported shortly before the meeting that she was unable to attend due to a late change in work commitments.

The following representatives attended:

·        Johnny Hayes spoke in relation to agenda item 9, Review of Parking Charges. As a former shopkeeper on Bishopthorpe Road he was particularly concerned about the parking charge increase from 80p to £4.85. Local businesses and residents were unhappy about the impact on the area and how the changes had been implemented. It had resulted in one of the largest number of signatories to a petition that City of York Council had received (approximately 8,000 in total). Local businesses and residents were keen to work with the Council to review the increases in parking charges.

·        Gwen Swinburn spoke in relation to agenda item 9, Review of Parking Charges. Reference was made to two separate petitions from the Groves area. Residents and businesses had concerns about unfair parking charges and discriminatory practices, which affected disadvantaged communities. The first petition signed by local businesses and residents objected to significant increases in parking charges, which affected the Groves area. The second petition, which was near completion, provided a business case for a formal traffic impact assessment challenge. It was pointed out that there had been multiple breaches of equalities legislation and inconsistent policy application as well as failures in consultation and legal advice.

·        Ruth Phillips spoke as a business owner on Bishopthorpe Road, in relation to agenda item 9, Review of Parking Charges. There was concern about a lack of consultation with local businesses and residents. It was positive that the Council had acknowledged that the consultation had not ensured a sufficient reach and there was a need to work together to establish a meaningful way forward. There was concern that the review had not included data in relation to the impact on congestion and footfall. The only data used related to a 37% reduction in car parking. There was also concern that some of the modelling that had been applied was out of date. In addition, that the increases in parking charges was inconsistent with those applied to similar areas with no affordable options. 

·        Denise Craghill spoke on behalf of York Green Party in relation to agenda item 9, Review of Parking Charges. There was concern about the impact of increases in parking charges on less affluent shopping parades. It was felt that a one size fits all approach had been applied. The increases in parking charges had a significant impact on local businesses, many of these were already struggling. A more affordable, short-term option was needed. It was suggested that the first 30 minutes were free, which supported local businesses, particularly shopping parades, such as the Groves.

·        Councillor Fenton spoke in relation to agenda item 6, Housing Annual Report. The report was welcomed, and housing staff were thanked for their diligence and commitment to support tenants. He also thanked the Executive Member for presenting the draft repairs policy to scrutiny for review. It was hoped that further details about the neighbourhood investment programme was to be shared with scrutiny before it was finalised. In relation to tenant satisfaction, a lack of adequate car parking was highlighted as a concern and a further review of this was recommended. Clarification was needed whether there was potential through the neighbourhood investment programme to address some of these concerns. In relation to agenda item 9, Review of Parking Charges, it was reported on behalf of a local constituent that clarification was sought in relation to parking charges for those attending places of worship. Separately, there was a need for Executive to commit to a review of the parking strategy and work with local businesses and residents to develop it.

·        Andrew Lowson spoke on behalf of York BID, in relation to agenda item 9, Review of Parking Charges. It was reported that charges had been applied to approximately 3,500 city centre spaces compared to 6,200 free spaces at retail parks and outer areas. The current approach to parking charges was considered unbalanced. The opportunity to review levels of parking charges was welcomed. There was concern about the impact on local businesses, particularly since local spend had reduced by 3.5%. Local businesses relied on all year-round local trade. The minister badge provided a helpful discount, but it did not cover nearby towns. The BID was keen to work with the Council to analyse data in relation to footfall, local spend and parking income. The BID Board met recently and was committed to working with the Council to tackle congestion and lower emissions.

·        Todd LePage spoke in relation to agenda item 9, Review of Parking Charges. There was concern about the lack of engagement with some communities as part of the process. The sharp increase in parking charges was considered a negative motivator. A different approach was needed with greater levels of consultation and collaboration. A healthy streets audit could be used to better inform local needs and the transition to more sustainable transport. The revised approach needed to be transparent and inclusive.

·        Linda Grenyer spoke in relation to agenda item 9, Review of Parking Charges. Reference was made to the updated equality impact assessment which had been submitted. There was concern that the updated equality impact assessment had not been submitted prior to the original decision in February 2025. It was noted that in relation to the original decision, the equality impact assessment had reported a negative impact in relation to all protected characteristics.

·        Councillor Waller spoke in relation to agenda item 6, Housing Annual Report and agenda item 7, York Learning Accountability Agreement 2025/26. In relation to agenda item 6, reference was made to the neighbourhood investment programme, which was considered a replacement for the housing environment investment programme. There was some concern that the report did not adequately address the types of support that were needed to support local communities. Clarification was required in relation to where the funds could be used. Previous requirements related to capital spend only, but the current report suggested revenue spend. Walkabouts were useful in identifying solutions to local issues and further details about future arrangements were needed. In relation to agenda item 7, it was highlighted that vocational training needed as much support as possible. Clarification was sought in relation to the timescales for the mayor’s inactivity trailblazer fund.