THE BOROUGH councillor that called-in a decision at the council said that she is unsatisfied with the response.
Cllr Shirley Boyt, Labour councillor for Bulmershe and Whitegates, asked for a review of a decision made by Wokingham Borough Council’s (WBC) ruling executive over car park operating hours.
Speaking after the meeting, the council’s highways executive confirmed that the main reason for the change was to update parking conditions and out-of0date information, but to also make some car parks operational 24 hours in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour.
“It was about both,” said Cllr Pauline Jorgensen.
She said that changing the operating hours would allow either s59 warning notices, or Fixed Penalty Notices to be issued in collaboration with the Thames Valley Police.
She said that it was also done to create an option to introduce check in/check out rules for parkers, if the council thinks it would help address anti-social behaviour.
Cllr Boyt said that she is concerned that the plan would negatively impact on the majority of residents.
On Tuesday, February 8, the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee discussed the issue.
But Cllr Boyt said that members left “more confused than we were before”.
She said: “At the call-in we found out that it will give WBC the option to introduce check-in/check-out in the evenings and on Sundays when residents currently do not have to do this, and this will be enforced.
“[This means] that any resident who forgets to check in or out — even when there is no fee to be paid — could be penalised.”
Cllr Boyt said that the decision will only impact car parks “where it is deemed necessary”.
“How confusing is that,” she said. “Some car parks will have the requirement, and some will not.”
Cllr Jorgensen said that the council is not changing the check-in/check-out system, but has created the option to in the future.
“At the moment, I don’t see any need to change it,” she said.
She also said that drivers acting in an anti-social way were unlikely to use the check-in/check-out system.
Cllr Maria Gee, Liberal Democrat councillor for Wescott said that there was no explanation either in the report or verbally during the meeting as to how extending the hours will prevent anti-social behaviour.
This was echoed by Cllr Rachel Burgess, Labour councillor for Norreys.
“The executive member and officers could not provide any clear explanation as to how the extension of car park operating hours would help to curb anti-social behaviour,” she said.
“I asked directly for clarity on how this decision would help enforcement action and I was told anti-social behaviour was a ‘subject for a different meeting’. There was no answer.”
Cllr Jorgensen confirmed after the meeting that the ability to serve warning notices or issue fines would help enforcement.
Cllr Sarah Kerr, Liberal Democrat councillor for Evendons, said that she also left the meeting confused.
She said: “I wanted to understand how the council’s plans to extend parking operating hours would tackle anti-social behaviour and wouldn’t negatively impact law-abiding people, to be told it’s not about anti-social behaviour but, by having this meeting, there’s been delayed action in tackling anti-social behaviour. That doesn’t even make sense.
“Repeatedly, what we were told kept on being contradicted.”
Cllr Jorgensen explained that the council could use the car park terms and conditions alongside the CCTV to tackle anti-social behaviour.
She said that she was satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, and believes that other councillors are “making a fuss” about its proceedings.
Cllr Boyt said that the call-in was not politically motivated.
“I called the decision in because I have been elected to serve residents and part of my role is to ensure they are not adversely affected by poor decision making,” Cllr Boyt said.
