Chris Lee, Director of Environment and Regeneration, summarised the report. There are no figures at present as this is the paper that triggers the evidence gathering. Broadly speaking the aims are policy objectives are fewer cars and fewer polluting cars. We intend to look at other Local Authorities and what they have done, what bringing in a new IT system would allow us to do, conduct desktop research, and ascertain whether our policies have had any impact on levels of diesel car ownership in comparison with the national change.

The chair invited questions from the Panel Members. 

A Panel member queried cashless parking and the impact it would have on elderly groups who prefer to put cash in a meter. Will any meters have card facilities? Ben Stephens, Head of Parking Services, replied that technology is changing rapidly and we are constantly looking at different offers. We are aware some residents prefer using cash and in the high usage areas we may keep some meters as cash parking.

A panel member proposed a recommendation that the terms of reference be extended. 

RESOLVED

That the following reference be provided to Cabinet with regards to the Diesel Levy Implementation.

“The Panel recommends to Cabinet that they consider whether to extend/clarify the terms of reference for the diesel levy review and the review into emissions based charging in other councils to examine whether there is any evidence of the type of behavioral change that these schemes drive. I.e. there might not be a fall in overall applications for permits, but over time there might be a trend for permits e.g. for less polluting vehicles, even though overall permit numbers remain broadly the same”.