Motorists face ‘ten per cent’ increase in Chesterfield council’s town centre car park fees

Labour-led Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet voted in favour of the changes to its town centre car parks during a meeting on Tuesday, despite opposition Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Paul Holmes’ call to consider freezing the price hike to prevent a fall in visitors.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Cabinet Member for Town Centres and Visitor Economy, told the meeting that the car parking fees report has been fully considered and that it is necessary for the council to balance its budget which has a forecast deficit of £4m for the 2024-25 financial year.

Cllr Sarvent said: “We have had the most robust debate about this report than anything we have ever had in the time I have been the portfolio holder and it is not something we have just plucked out of the air. And at the end of the day we are here to make a balanced budget.”

The car parking report was compiled after a study indicated a need to invest in the council’s car parks and to reuse surplus car parking land to support theregeneration of the town centre.

Car park usage, income from car parking, regeneration opportunities for car parks and climate change were all factors considered in the study along with value for money and support for the town centre. The study found that the income generated by the car parks is not sufficient to meet current budget targets and that there is spare capacity across council-owned car parks and the council has also recognised the impact of online shopping on reduced town centre footfall.

Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet voted in favour for fees and charges for car parks to be increased from Monday, April 1, 2024, and the report indicates an increase of around 10per cent across the board. This approved increase will apply to permit holders, short stay and long stay parking as well as to the Saltergate car park.

Lost ticket charges for Beetwell Street, Saltergate, Soresby Street and Rose Hill will remain at £20 and the railway station approach will remain at £3 for all day use.

In addition, a one-off tariff of £1 before 10am, Monday to Saturday, and a one-off tariff of £2 after 3pm, Monday to Saturday, and a one-off tariff of £2 for all day on Sunday, and £2 for all day on Bank Holidays, will all be introduced for the council’s Residents’ Parking Scheme.

It has been estimated that the changes to the Residents’ Parking Scheme at council town centre car parks could achieve an additional £126,305 of net income, according to the council.

Chesterfield Borough Council officers argued that the authority is facing significant financial challenges with austerity since 2010, uncertainties over future funding, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and inflation.

The council’s budget strategy is to deliver a balanced budget and it has stressed that is important that all potential increases to income streams are implemented as soon as possible.

Chesterfield Borough Council had already approved an increase in car parking fees and charges on September 19, 2023, to reflect its challenging budget position and the the significant inflationary pressure at that time.

The council opposition Liberal Democrat Leader, Cllr Paul Holmes, suggested car parking fees should be frozen to preserve town centre footfall and profits because he argued that statistics reveal that the increase will result in an attritional loss of car park users.

He also questioned whether the council would make more money with the car park fee increases if there is a loss of car park users.

Cllr Holmes argued that even though profits have fallen year-on-year at the town centre’s car parks they are still profitable with a steady income and any increase in fees would further badly affect a decreasing town centre footfall. He said: “We have to ask are we in danger of killing the goose that laid the golden egg?”

Cllr Holmes added: “The town council plan seems to be rack charges up more so less people come into town. I am really worried about the direction of travel with this in terms of the vulnerability of the town centre.”

Council Leader, Cllr Tricia Gilby, said she was pleased with the car park study after it recognised that the council’s car parks are an asset to the town’s economy and regeneration and future development.

Cllr Gilby added that putting up car parking charges will mean that those using the car parks will pay more to use them which will reduce the financial pressure on the council and ease the strain on tax-payers.

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management, Cllr Amanda Serjeant, said that the car park plans fitted with the council’s cost recovery model and the council is committed to supporting the town centre.

Cllr Serjeant added that the council has needed to look at the evidence about where people are parking and how their town centre behaviours are changing.

She said: “I think that is actually what people in Chesterfield want us to do to look at the evidence at what is best for the town to decide the right direction to take.”

Cllr Holmes said the council’s car park fees used to be around the middle range by comparison with other authorities but he claimed that after the increase in September the council became more expensive than two-thirds of comparative towns.

He added that he could not understand the council’s argument that increasing car park fees related to cost recovery when Chesterfield Borough Council’s car parks already cover their costs and make a profit.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “The introduction of a fee for residents’ parking is not a decision which we have taken lightly. In doing so we have tried to balance the need to ensure that it remains affordable for our residents to continue to visit Chesterfield town centre, whilst also trying to offset the rising costs of providing and maintaining car parking and other town centre services, including CCTV provision and community safety activities.

“The decision to also uplift car parking charges from April 1, 2024, is equally one that we make with a heavy heart. These are challenging times for the whole of local government that require us to make difficult decisions, but we have little choice if the council is to be able to continue to deliver essential services and support the most vulnerable in our communities.”

Short stay car parking of up to one hour will increase from £1.90 to £2.10 with similar gradual increases for up to two and three hour stays, and up to four hour stays will increase from £5.30 to £5.80, and each hour after four hours will increase from £1.90 to £2.10.

Long stay car parking will also increase by the same amounts up to one, two, three and four hours but ‘four hours plus’ will increase from £5,80 to £6.40.

Saltergate car parking will also increase by the same amounts up to one, two, three and four hours and up to five hours will increase from £5.80 to £6.40 and over five hours or up to 24 hours will increase from £7.70 to £8.20.

Annual permits will increase from £720 to £800, monthly permits will increase from £72 to £80, scratchcard permits will increase from £4.20 to £4.60 and market trader permits will increase from £2.20 to £2.50.