Agenda and draft minutes

Minute of Meeting of 31 May 2016 to be noted and signed by the Chairman (copy attached)

CHAIRMAN

The Chairman welcomed Mr Derick Tait, Mr Lindsay Grieve and Mrs Libby Potts to the meeting and asked for a round of introductions from the Members and officers present.

There had been circulated copies of the Minute of 31 May 2016.

DECISION

APPROVED and signed by the Chairman.

Copy of extract from the Scottish Borders Council Deputations Procedure attached.

There had been circulated copies of an extract from the Scottish Borders Council Deputations Procedure which set out the process to be followed at the meeting.

DECISION

NOTED.

There had been circulated copies of a deputation received from the organisation Future Hawick, regarding parking problems on Hawick High Street.  There had also been circulated copies of a briefing note by the Depute Chief Executive (Place) in response.  It was stated within the deputation submission form that the removal of the warden service had seen a marked increase in the abuse of parking regulations on Hawick High Street, to such an extent that it was having a detrimental effect on High Street businesses and that a solution was required.  The deputation was presented at the meeting by Derick Tait, Chairman of Future Hawick.  He explained that parking regulations were constantly flouted in Hawick and that the parking problems in the High Street had become a regular topic for discussion at meetings of Area Forums, Community Councils and Future Hawick, and were a constant feature in the local press.  Correspondence with local Community Policing Inspector Carol Wood advised that present levels of policing did not have the capacity to enable more than random enforcement.  Mr Tait referred to the 3-day survey carried out by the Council as detailed in the Depute Chief Executive’s briefing note. He pointed out that the survey was a general overview that did not deal with specifics.  It did not cover early morning or late afternoon periods and the recording circuits were not relevant to the 30 minute restrictions in place.  He was also very surprised that there was no record of double parking.  A survey carried out by Future Hawick had showed instances of congested parking on single and double yellow lines; all-day parking by residents and visitors; over-long loading and unloading procedures; parking in designated loading bays and bus stops; double parking preventing through traffic; and parking at or near road junctions preventing vehicle access.   When combined, these issues posed serious problems, for emergency vehicles for example, and resulted in a decreased footfall on Hawick High Street at a time when a lot of businesses were suffering an economic downturn.  Businesses were trying to deal with the situation by contacting the police and in some cases had placed their own ‘warning notices’ on vehicles, but to little avail.  The situation had reached the stage where action was required. Mr Tait also produced a report of a meeting of residents and business owners on 26 November 2015 which provided a list of specific examples of ignoring parking regulations and the resulting problems caused in the High Street.  He emphasised that businesses were having to deal with a situation which was not of their making.  They paid their rates and needed more consideration by the Council.

3.2      Lindsay Grieve, proprietor of a butcher’s shop in the High Street, reiterated the fact that the problems had increased since the removal of the Traffic Warden Service.  A survey of sales carried out by his wife had proved that the business was losing trade due to the inability for customers to park outside or near the shop.  Many cars  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.