Prior to Christmas Dorset Council notified us of their planned intention to standardise and set a clear framework for their Free Parking Policy for Town and Parish Councils when applying for ‘free’ parking days’.
Their new policy:
To support local economy, Dorset Council will give a total of six free parking days in Dorset Council car parks. This is made up of the following:
- At the request of the Town or Parish Council free parking in all Dorset Council car parks for four days each year, for events which generate valuable footfall for that town. These four days cannot be used in December.
- At the request of the Town or Parish Council free parking in all Dorset Council Town Centre car parks for that town on one weekday in December.
- Free parking in all Dorset Council Town Centre car parks on Small Business Saturday in December.
No other days in December will be considered unless the Town Council, Local BID or other organisation(s) are willing to meet the cost of the lost income at an amount to be calculated by the Council’s parking team based on average weekend costs for that time of year.
In a response to the Dorset Council Free Parking Policy the following points were submitted on behalf of Sherborne Town Council:
- Sherborne Town Council has historically requested most of its free parking days on Mondays during December. The Sherborne Chamber of Trade and Commerce continue to support this request for Mondays in December to be considered.
- Other free parking days requested during the year have coincided with specific annual events to include the Pack Monday Fair, which takes place in October each year.
- Flexibility was sought for small business days in Sherborne which might not necessarily be a Saturday. The Sherborne Christmas Shopping Day has traditionally been held on the first Sunday in December.
- Clarification was sought about recently approved new charges for Sundays and the implementation date.
- Members of the Town Council suggested that Dorset Council rethink this policy considering the need to revive high streets and assist businesses by making parking free more often throughout the year.
Dorset Council has since responded to say the policy resulting consulted now stands, but there will be some flexibility as to whether Sherborne has a free day on either a Saturday or Sunday in December.
Sherborne will no longer be given every Monday in December free. Dorset Council suggest that organisations/businesses would need to fund these specific days if still required. Sherborne Town Council are in discussions with the Chamber of Commerce and the Independents regarding this.
Sunday charging is planned to commence on 1st April 2021.