Strong objections from parish council to proposals to introduce charges at two Felpham car parks

At a meeting of Felpham Parish Council charges at car parks in Grassmere Parade and Links Avenue were discussed.

Arun recently put its new charges out to consultation, including charging for five council run car parks which are currently free, including two at Felpham.

There would be no charge for parking up to two hours but after that a £1 charge would be introduced.

Councillors decided on December 7 that at this stage, with the information made available and with no formal prior consultation from Arun District Council, they object to the proposed scheme to introduce charges.

A statement on the parish council website said: “Felpham parish councillors and parishioners are somewhat surprised to learn that without prior consultation or notification, car parks to which we contribute £3630 per annum are being considered for charges to be applied.

“Whilst we understand that post environment and neighbourhood services committee’s meeting, we may be consulted, we feel that again, with more notice we could have represented out parishioners in a fully informed way.

“Felpham Parish Council strongly object to your proposed introduction of charges to Grassmere Parade and Links Avenue carparks.

“We have asked repeatedly for Arun District Council to clarify:

“Have ADC produced, and if so shared a business case that demonstrates what financial benefit they might gain from this? Please can we have sight of the report?

“Does the business case include the potential loss of income from the parish council, should we withdraw funding and who currently contribute towards the free parking?

“Does the business case demonstrate how many people would actually end up paying due to the length of stay and what charges would be imposed and how was this quantified? Please can we have sight of the report?

“Does the business case take account of the potential increase in on-street parking this may cause due to people who use the car park for longer than two hours and is this taken into account your Off-Street Parking Strategy 2021-2026?

“Has a risk assessment been carried out to identify and determine any risk that might be associated with the potential increase of on-street parking? Please can we have sight of the report?

“Does the business case consider the possible risk and loss of community wellbeing activities and classes in St Mary’s Hall, loss of trade to shops and businesses in Felpham as a result of these parking charges?

“Does the business case clearly and accurately demonstrate that the costs of implementing and monitoring any compliance with parking charges are sufficient to justify its introduction?

“The contradiction to our local plan, adopted by Arun District Council.

“What would be the required contribution increase from Felpham Parish Council to retain their two parish located car parks as ‘free of charge’.

In a recently seen email from Shaun Gunner to a Felpham resident, My Gunner states “Currently this car park is free and over the next four years will cost Arun District Council c. £60,000 to maintain.”

“Felpham Parish Council has not been furnished with any details as to what these works will be, how this figure was calculated, what the programme is and when will this commence? Please can we have sight of the report?

“Felpham Parish Council pays ADC circa £3,600 per annum and has done since the early 1990s. What has this contribution (towards the maintenance and to keep the car park ‘free’) been used for? In this period there is no or little (weeding) evidence of any maintenance work being carried out. Surely this contribution for many years should have been put in a sinking fund to meet maintenance costs as they arrive?

“In the same email to a resident, Mr Gunner states: “As nearly all other car parks have a charge, there is currently a subsidy from residents throughout Arun to provide free parking to residents in Felpham. As the council for all of Arun, we have to take that into account whether that is fair.” This fails to note or acknowledge the £3,630 that Felpham Parish Council has paid ADC for many years to maintain free car parks and thus is factually wrong. The statement that Arun is subsidising Felpham residents is disingenuous and inaccurate;

“There is no evidence of the ringfencing of income received from car parking being used to increase the level of maintenance in car parks in Arun.

“Many of the users of the car park, we envisage will need the use of the car park for over two hours to fully enjoy the village, its hospitality, service industry, Church and St Mary’s Hall, so maybe a Disc scheme as is available in Bognor Regis town centre could be adopted to offer up to four hours free?”