The meeting we should all know about but don't...

There’s a meeting which takes place every three to four months that the business community as a whole in Brighton & Hove should know about, but which passes most of us by. It’s not a secret, in fact every business should try to have some input. As it’s the festive season, let’s unwrap and see what delights lurk inside...

The Business Support Partnership does what it says on the tin. It’s a collective chaired by Chamber President Julia Chanteray and offers a chance to consult and question the Council on important issues relating to our city. Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, Councillor Jason Kitcat attends and has pledged his commitment to involve the business community on major issues, as well as keep us informed.

Focusing on one or two main issues each meeting, the last took place on 19th November and looked at whether parking and roadworks in and around Brighton & Hove were moving towards a green light, whether they had stalled or worse still, run out of fuel.

Highlights of the meeting were:

Parking
The Council’s parking map has been revised to include more information about charges and non-Council car parks. For more information, see http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/downloads/bhcc/parking/4440_On-street_parking_map-_r2_(2).pdf

Road signage
In response to a question about more signage about car parks before the Patcham gateway, Cllr Kitcat said the land is owned by the Highways Agency which doesn’t allow such signage. When the Council car park services and enforcement contract comes up for renewal soon, the Council will ask whoever wins the contract to use technology to help people find the nearest car parks and also pay online.

Transport and congestion
The Council has bid for funding to find better technological solutions. Travel options are by foot, cycle, bus, train and car. Under 50% come into the city by car.

Cllr Kitcat said since parking tariffs increased in April, revenue increased by c£900K which is ring-fenced with all the money from parking going to pay for bus subsidies and concessionary bus parking. Off-street parking is seeing greater use than on-street parking, which the Council wanted.
An award of ‘Portas’ funding can be used for improvements to London Road and other bids are being used to improve links with the South Downs Park.

Lynette Evert of the North Laines Traders was concerned about adverse effects of increased parking charges on retail customers coming into the city. She said local people find a way into the town but shop owners feel they have lost their mid-week shoppers and many out-of-town visitors would not now come in at weekends.

Car parks
The Council’s car parks are considerably cheaper than those of NCP. During the Trafalgar Street car park refurbishment, Cllr Kitcat had agreed to look at the possibility of signage to direct people to the car park’s rear entrance or to London Road car park, and that is now in place.

The Council has to reduce car use as it is in danger of being in breach of EU air quality standards, which would mean it would be significantly fined. Results of the city-wide parking review should be known in mid-January. The general finding is many prefer residents’ parking zones to unrestricted parking.

Mini park and ride
As the option for a main park and ride site has gone, the Council is exploring the possibility of mini sites (although there are drawbacks with all viable options) as well as still encouraging car clubs.

The group thanked Cllr Kitcat for sharing details behind the issues and agreed the lesson learnt from the parking situation is how important it is for the business community to work together with the Council and other organisations and agencies to find solutions.

Major road works
There will be an embargo on road works between 3rd December and 1st January, and a list of all planned road works can be found on www.roadworks.org

The group asked why roads get dug up so frequently with little or no warning, and Cllr Kitcat responded that the Council is currently consulting on a scheme which would mean any road works would need a permit and the Council would co-ordinate, but this needs government approval. At the moment the powers don’t exist so if a utility firm feels it needs to do work, it can. With government approval, the Council could be controlling the works through permits by 2014.

Toad Hall Valley
This is privately owned land where the owners can decide what to build, however they are keen to work with Council suggestions, which include mixed use (retail and offices) as well as housing, plus a new much-needed school. The Council will include the area as a development site in the City Plan for approval in January.

Agreed action points
•    Talk to NCP about their parking charges
•    Try to set up some special deals for people coming to the city to spend money, both for car users and public transport users

What can we all do as part of the business community?

If you have any issues you’d like to bring up at these meetings or if you have any feedback on any of the points above, contact Chamber director Sarah Springford here.

By Jill Woolf, Chimera Communications

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk