Icklesham Parish CouncilAgenda Item

Date:27 November 2015

Author:Cllr Steve Tollett (Chair) Rye Harbour Car Park and Toilets Working Group

Subject:Recommendation from Rye Harbour Car Park and Toilets Working Group

Recommendation:It be RESOLVED that the Full Council ratify the proposal(s) from the Rye Harbour Car Park and Toilet Working group that:
  • Rother District Council be advised that Icklesham Parish Council will take on the 99 year lease for Rye Harbour Car Park and Toilets.
  • Arrange for the lease to be signed on behalf of IPC
  • The costs of the Car Park and Toilets be met by Option 3 - Voluntary Donations from the Car Park Users.
  • The maintenance of the garden areas of the car park and toilets to be carried out by Volunteers with Sussex Wildlife Trust acting as consultants regarding the type and variety of plants to create wildlife gardens.

This recommendation supports at least one (1) of the requirements needed to fulfil the criteria of a Quality Council. The working group membership is positive evidence that show that IPC are undertaking two way communication and involving the residents of the Parish

From the outset, the working group understood that Icklesham Parish Council agreed to take on the lease for the Rye Harbour Car Park and Toilets back in November 2014 – Minute Reference 14/264 Item 16 Rye Harbour Toilets and CarPark

The following was resolved:

a) The Council to take over the lease from Rother District Council and the Clerk to confirm this to RDC

b) That at this time the business cases for sub-letting are not considered (operational experience to inform future decision making)

c) The Clerk is authorised to investigate all associated costs and report to the Working Group and Council.

With Items a) and b) being actioned by the Full Council, the working group progressed item c) – investigate all associated costs.

Associated Costs:

Public Conveniences
Building maintenance / £1,000.00
Call out contract / £600.00
Garden works / £458.50
Cleaning and opening and closing / £5,000.00
Consumables / £420.00
Legionella Testing / £300.00
Asbestos survey / £0.00 / Completed in April 2014 no asbestos present.
Electrical testing / £100.00
Electricity / £499.00
Water / £2,600.00
NNDR / £1,507.00 / NALC have submitted a proposal to the Department of Communities and Local Government via the Sustainable Communities Act to give an exemption to parishes to paying business rates on public toilets.
The original proposal was submitted by Cranleigh Parish Council.
Insurance / £267.12
Health and safety checks / £0.00 / Undertaken by officers.
Sub Total / £12,751.62
Car Park
Maintenance of surface, barrier signage, fence / £1,000.00
Major works / £1,000.00
Grass cutting / £458.50
Litter picking / £0.00 / It is anticipated that this will be carried out by the volunteer litter picking group setup by Rye Harbour residents.
Weed killing / £0.00
Empty waste bins / £390.00
NNDR / £3,830.00
Insurance / £267.12
Health and safety checks / £0.00
Administration / £0.00
Sub Total / £6,945.62
Total / £19,697.24

It’s worth noting at this stage that the original cost for the Public Conveniences building maintenance included a cost of £2399 to £2899 for Officers time along with cost for works carried out to car park pot holes, fencing repairs, barrier repairs as well as general plumbing and fixtures.

The working group concluded that the figures listed in the above table are a true reflection of the estimated running costs.

There is a potential saving of £2424 (Garden Works: 2 x £458.50 and NNDR: £1507). This would give a total running cost of £17273.24.

Car Park usage figures:

Data Source: ESCC. Data Summary byDr B Yates, Sussex Wildlife Trust

Funding Mechanism:

Option 1:Free Parking, running costs paid through annual precept

Based on the current tax base rate for a Band D property, it would cost £16.85 per year per household to cover the £20,000 estimated running costs.

The car park is currently free to users.

Option 2: Mandatory Parking Fee

It was generally felt that a mandatory parking fee in excess of £2 per day would result in visitors parking in Rye Harbour Village rather than using the car park, causing problems for the residents. Potentially the displaced traffic would use the limited parking within the village that is currently used by the residents. There werealso concerns that there would be potentialaccess problems for the emergency services.

Based on the 2014 car park usage figures the income generated would be:

At £2.00 per day £178,440

At £1.50 per day £133,830

At £1.00 per day £ 89,220

In addition to the car park running costs, the following expenditure would needed to be taken into consideration:

  • Pay and Display (P&D) ticket machines - £3000 to £8000 per machine
  • Installation of P&D ticket machine(s)
  • Installation of electric supply (£3029 to £12529 – UK Power Networks)
  • Kiosk (Genesis GRP 2.5 x 1.5m) 3678.50 + VAT
  • Enforcement officer(s) to ensure that visitors are paying £5241.60per year + overtime, employers NI & pension contributions
  • Staff to empty machine daily and bank takings weekly - £590.40 per year + overtime, employers NI & pension contributions
  • Maintenance contract for P&D ticket machine(s)
  • Electric testing - £100
  • P&D ticket machine consumables
  • Electricity costs associated with P&D ticket machine and kisok
  • Potential vandalism cost
  • VAT on the income
  • £178,440 the VAT element would be £29,740
  • £133,830 the VAT element would be £22,305
  • £ 89,220 the VAT element would be £14,870
  • Any profit over a certain limit (to be agreed with Rother District Council) would need to be shared with Rother District Council.
  • Cost of enforcement action to collect any potential fines

Option 3: Voluntary Donation

Based on the 2014 car park usage figures, if only 25% of the users donated £1 per day then a total of £22,305 would be taken during the course of the year.

Evidence shows that at other locations that operate a donation scheme then significantly more that the £22,305 would be taken.

At the Attenborough Nature Reserve in Nottingham, the car park that they run has 23,000 visitors per year and they receive donation to the value of £45,000

Other than the running cost as listed above, the only expenditure under this scheme is as follows:

  • Two people emptying the donation box daily £5990.40 per year

This cost could be reduced if not eliminated if the donation box is emptied on a voluntary basis. There would still be a need for two people to empty the donation box for safety reasons.

The working group felt that this was the most viable option and it is inclusiveofall car park users.

If only 25% of the visitors pay a donation of £1 per day, the donation will make a profit of £2,305 per annum after the running costs have been deducted. This would result in there being no cost to the Parish residents.

It is anticipated that there would be significantly more people who would donate to use the car park, as previously shown, by the experience at the Attenborough Nature Reserve.

As it is a choice to donate, then the additional expenditure (listed in mandatory parking fee) is not necessary. The VAT would not be payable as donations are outside the scope for VAT.

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