Agenda item

Policy and Organisation Board – 29 November 2023

Consideration was given to the Part I recommendation of the Policy and Organisation Board.

At its meeting on 29 November 2023 the Policy and Organisation Board considered a report of the Borough Treasurer detailing the updated Fees and Charges. The recommendations are now presented to Full Council for approval.

An amendment was proposed to the report as follows:

It is recommended that the fees and charges referred to in the report and appendix are frozen at the rates introduced into effect on 1^st January 2023 with the exception of those fees and charges which are statutory and require to be uplifted in accordance with regulations and the two new charges introducing a drugs test for taxi drivers and a range of concession rate charges for pest control.

This was proposed by Councillor Burgess and seconded by Councillor Philpott.

A Councillor advised that they felt the proposed fees and charges were another attack on residents, with 3 rises to car parking charges in 18 months and felt that residents were not aware of how much they had increased. A proposed amendment to freeze fees and charges at 1 January 2023 would not see a vast increase to most of the fees reducing the burden on the public.

A  Member advised that an increase of 60% on some car parking charges was unacceptable as the CPI currently sat at 8.5% this year, following a rate of 10.1% last year. The increased charges would do nothing to encourage tourists to the Town, or encourage residents to stay, shop and utilise their local area over out of Town centres with free parking, or Town Centres like Winchester and Southampton. It was felt the increases could close businesses.

In addition they felt there was a stealth tax on fitness and exercise, not only through the car parking charges, but through the increase in charges on sports pitches.

A Members advised that they supported the amendment as there was no justification for the increase in charges. If CPI had been considered as justification for the increase, as it was in the previous year, then the month preceding the proposed increase, CPI had sat at 4.6% so offered even less justification of such large increases. Figures from the Bank of England supported this making the proposed increases to sports facilities and car parking of between 40-70% appalling and unjustifiable. In addition it was advised that from January 2024 Hampshire County Council would be removing charges for disposal of DIY waste and therefore the continuation of the skips scheme would be obsolete and be contrary to previous statements advising provision non statutory services. Waste disposal was a Hampshire County Council function, not Gosport Borough Council, removing the amenity skips would save money, reducing the need for such increases.

A Members advised that the Gosport Borough Council Local Plan highlighted that residents of Gosport had a lower life expectancy. 5 of the Borough’s wards were in the top 20% in the country for poor health and faced great inequality with regard to health. It was felt the Council should be facilitating healthy opportunities not creating barriers to them by creating more access to fitness, not increasing charges.

This could be seen not only in sports facilities, Rowner Recreation football pitches had had hire costs increased by 67% in 2 years, the wildgrounds permit cost had increased 38% for a day and 120% for a monthly pass and Alver Valley Car Parks had increased by 22%.

This was mirrored across Gosport, with the cost of burials also increasing between 22-26%.

A Member advised that the concern they had regarding increases in cost was significant when the actual financial differences could be seen. Comparisons included, mini soccer pitches increasing from £17.50 to £27.50 from 2022-2023, cricket pitches increasing from £44 in 2022 to £66 in 2023. And parking increasing from £1 to £1.60 and annual permits increasing from £490 to £660 from 2022 to 2023.

A Member advised that they felt the increase in beach huts was unreasonable, with hire charges rising 50%. Previous efforts to improve them following vandalism had been undertaken, but repairs and renovations were no longer being undertaken, which would be disappointing to those that had waited a long time to hire them.

A Member advised that the Beach huts rentals were subject to NNDR rates, utility costs and up keep costs so those hiring should undertake basic measures such as painting themselves. In addition, they felt that residents should be encouraged to walk to Town or use the bus rather than using car parks if they felt charges were too steep. Walking would also help residents to improve their health.

A Member advised that the budget needed to be balanced and accepted that there was a cost of living crisis but that services still needed to be paid for. Not increasing fees and charges would lead to service cuts.

A Member advised that they felt the proposals were not calculated, but an abstract exercise putting more strain on constituents Councillors were elected to represent and were increasing fees above inflation for nearly all of the fees and charges listed. Burial charges were up 32%, sports pitches charges up between 28.2 and 70.9%, wildground visit charges up between 37.5 and 120%, beach hut charges up 50% car parking increases had risen as high as 83.3% and parking permits up as high as 64.7% in the last 3 years.

This would give an increase of £254,000 and a future increase of £111000 which totalled £400000 in car parking in just 18 months which was an exploitation of residents in the cost of living crisis.

A Member advised that as well as high levels of deprivation, the Borough hosted the largest parkrun on the South Coast, people visited the Town to take part and were being charged to do so. Obesity was a real issues and it was felt the money spent on skips should be used to reduce access to fitness.

The Council were advised that the current tax burden was the highest it had ever been with restrictions on Council Tax increases. This has been caused by a cut in Government funding, many Councils had or were close to declaring bankruptcy and this had to be addressed.

Sports facilities had been left to decay, and toilets removed, under the previous administration and even with the increase to fees and charges, running costs were not being met.

The Grants Sub-Board had been reinstated and was helping to support sports groups.

A Member advised that economics needed to add up, the restrictions on Council Tax increases meant that the Gosport Borough Council element increase could not match inflation, creating a shortfall in funding which had to be addressed.

A Member expressed concern that the change to the car park metres would also need to be paid for, as well as the increasing costs for the Criterion and subsidies for bus services.

A recorded vote was taken on the amendment as follows:

FOR the AMENDMENT: Councillors Beavis, Burgess, Casey, Gledhill, Huggins, Jessop, Morgan, Philpott, Raffelli, Scard (10)

AGAINST the AMENDMENT: Councillors Ballard, M Bradley, K Bradley Chegwyn, Cox, Durrant, Earle, Hammond, Herridge, Hutchison Hylands, Johnston, Kelly, Marshall, Maynard, Westerby. (16)

ABSTENTION: The Mayor (1)

This AMENDMENT was LOST

FOR the recommendations: Councillors Ballard, M Bradley, K Bradley, Chegwyn, Cox, Durrant, Earle, Hammond, Herridge, Hutchison, Hylands, Johnston, Kelly, Marshall, Maynard, Westerby, (16)

AGAINST the recommendation: Councillors Beavis, Burgess, Casey, Huggins, Gledhill, Jessop, Morgan, Philpott, Raffaelli, Scard. (10)

ABSTENTION: The Mayor (1)

RESOLVED:

The Council approves the fees and charges referred to in the report and appendix for implementation from 1 January 2024 or as soon as practically possible thereafter, unless stated otherwise.