Agenda item

Questions

Car Parking Charges

 

Councillor Thompson to ask the Cabinet Member for City Services:-

 

Can the Cabinet Member advise Council of when it intends to reduce charges on council-owned car parks serving the City Centre in order to encourage more shoppers there, and to help to reverse the on-going and steady exodus of retailers?

 

GCSE Results

 

Councillor Thompson to ask the Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills & Learning:-

 

Can the Cabinet Member explain to Council the reasons that he believes are responsible for Wolverhampton being shown to be the eighth worst local education authority in the country in terms of its GCSE results this year?

Minutes:

Car Parking Charges

 

Councillor Thompson asked Cllr Reynolds, the Cabinet Member for City Services, the following question:-

 

“Can the Cabinet Member advise Council of when it intends to reduce charges on council-owned car parks serving the City Centre in order to encourage more shoppers there, and to help to reverse the on-going and steady exodus of retailers?”

 

Cllr Reynolds replied that car parking charges had been reduced in 2011 and 2012 and not increased over the following two years.  He stated that it was now cheaper to park in Wolverhampton than any of the twenty five largest conurbations.

 

Cllr Thompson asked a supplementary question about the popularity of Bentley Bridge shopping centre as it had free parking, the possible introduction of free parking on Sundays and suggested that there was cheaper parking available elsewhere in country.

 

Cllr Reynolds outlined the experience of Aberystwyth where, at the request of traders free parking had been introduced.  Spaces were filled by commuters stopping shoppers visiting the city and payment had to be reintroduced. He referred to a survey carried out by the Association of Town and City Managers which showed that drivers were more concerned about the location of car parks and ease of access to the city centre than with the price of parking. He stated that the council operated 33 car parks many which were free. The biggest issue in the city was provision of additional spaces during busy periods

 

GCSE Results

 

Councillor Thompson asked Cllr Page the Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills and Learning the following question:-

 

“Can the Cabinet Member explain to Council the reasons that he believes are responsible for Wolverhampton being shown to be the eighth worst local education authority in the country in terms of its GCSE results this year?”

 

Cllr Page replied that the low attainment levels of two academies had impacted on the overall performance figures for the city.

 

Cllr Thompson asked a supplementary question about the connection between of poor results, the low number of primary schools rated as good primaries and the city having the 4th highest unemployment in the country. She asked how leadership was being provided to raise the performance level in schools

 

Cllr Page referred to a press release issued on 29 August which showed that Key Stage 1 and 2 results were the best ever recorded. He referred to the previous decision to delete the post of Director of Education which was about to be reintroduced. Senior schools to which the Council provided support all met or exceeded the levels of attainment set by the Department of Education. The Council was working with working with the Department of Education and Ofsted and the academies to improve standards. Of the 29 inspections carried out by Ofsted five schools required improvement and one was in 1 special measures. Each of those schools had already been working with the Council on improvement. An improvement strategy would be reported in December and Headteachers had been involved in the creation of the strategy.