Issue - meetings

Note:

Under the Council’s constitution, 30 minutes are available for the consideration of motions. In practice, this realistically means that there is usually only time for one, or possibly two motions to be considered.

With the agreement of the Lord Mayor, motion 1 below will be considered at this meeting, and motion 2 is likely to be considered, subject to time.

Details of other motions submitted, (which, due to time constraints, are very unlikely to be considered at this meeting) are also set out for information.

MOTIONS RECEIVED FOR FULL COUNCIL

MOTION 1 - A Workplace Parking Levy for Bristol

Full Council notes

1.      A Workplace Parking Levy (also referred to as Corporate Parking Levy) is a licensing scheme for active workplace car parking places. They vary in detail and can include various concessions (e.g. blue badge holders; smaller businesses; NHS facilities). These schemes reduce driving into the city centre and provide funds that can be reinvested in transport alternatives or improvements.

2.      That the proposal for a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) was initially discussed in Bristol ten years ago and we have fallen behind other cities in its implementation.

3.      A scoping study produced for Bristol Council in 2011 estimated that a citywide workplace Parking Levy (with small businesses exempted) could generate a net revenue of around £11 million per year.

4.      Following a budget amendment made by the Green Party in 2020, an appraisal report is now being developed. We further note that as it has yet to be published, it is unclear as to the detail of implementation. We understand that the report’s findings are generally in favour of WPL.

5.      The growing national base of evidence for WPL. Most notable is Nottingham which has been running its scheme since 2011 and now raises £9 million a year with a circa £400 WPL with minimal running costs

6.      Support for exploring a WPL was noted in the Bristol Transport Strategy adopted in 2019.

7.      There are several, evidenced benefits of WPLs, including:

·         Reduction in congestion and associated air quality improvements;

·         Investment in public and active transport;

·         Freeing up land - unlike a congestion charge, the WPL has an evidenced bonus effect of making more land available for other uses, such as green space or new residential buildings.

·         That any levy is easy to administer, keeping transactional costs to a minimum  

·         They encourage private sector involvement and investment in the city 

·         There is unlikely to be any additional pressure on on-street parking as the levy is on the space not the vehicle 

8.      Councillors will need to see the detail, but it is anticipated that the coming report will add to the positive national evidence base for the policy.

Full Council resolves to call on the administration to:

1.      Share and make the appraisal report on WPL public when it is complete

2.      Formally commit to a WPL scheme for Bristol (pending the report’s findings)

3.      To publish a timetabled delivery plan for a WPL scheme with the  ...  view the full agenda text for item 14

Following a short adjournment, it was then moved by the Lord Mayor that standing order CPR2.1(xi) be suspended to allow the meeting to go past the 30 minutes time limit for motions and beyond the 2.5 hours total time for the meeting.  Following a vote it was agreed to proceed with the item to hear the first ‘golden’ motion.

Golden Motion: A Workplace Parking Levy for Bristol

Councillor Wilcox moved the following motion:

Full Council notes

1.      A Workplace Parking Levy (also referred to as Corporate Parking Levy) is a licensing scheme for active workplace car parking places. They vary in detail and can include various concessions (e.g. blue badge holders; smaller businesses; NHS facilities). These schemes reduce driving into the city centre and provide funds that can be reinvested in transport alternatives or improvements.

2.      That the proposal for a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) was initially discussed in Bristol ten years ago and we have fallen behind other cities in its implementation.

3.      A scoping study produced for Bristol Council in 2011 estimated that a citywide workplace Parking Levy (with small businesses exempted) could generate a net revenue of around £11 million per year.

4.      Following a budget amendment made by the Green Party in 2020, an appraisal report is now being developed. We further note that as it has yet to be published, it is unclear as to the detail of implementation. We understand that the report’s findings are generally in favour of WPL.

5.      The growing national base of evidence for WPL. Most notable is Nottingham which has been running its scheme since 2011 and now raises £9 million a year with a circa £400 WPL with minimal running costs

6.      Support for exploring a WPL was noted in the Bristol Transport Strategy adopted in 2019.

7.      There are several, evidenced benefits of WPLs, including:

·         Reduction in congestion and associated air quality improvements;

·         Investment in public and active transport;

·         Freeing up land - unlike a congestion charge, the WPL has an evidenced bonus effect of making more land available for other uses, such as green space or new residential buildings.

·         That any levy is easy to administer, keeping transactional costs to a minimum  

·         They encourage private sector involvement and investment in the city 

·         There is unlikely to be any additional pressure on on-street parking as the levy is on the space not the vehicle 

8.      Councillors will need to see the detail, but it is anticipated that the coming report will add to the positive national evidence base for the policy.

Full Council resolves to call on the administration to:

1.      Share and make the appraisal report on WPL public when it is complete

2.      Formally commit to a WPL scheme for Bristol (pending the report’s findings)

3.      To publish a timetabled delivery plan for a WPL scheme with the aim of going out to consultation by April 2022 with full implementation within two years of that date (compatible with the Local Transport Act 2000)

4.      Approach  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14