See answers to previous information requests

I request copies of the following recorded information relating to Ashenbury Park, Woodley, the proposed £2.50 parking charge, the associated Traffic Regulation Order and the capital investment in the park.

A. Capital expenditure and financing
1. The original approved business case for the Ashenbury Park path/access project.
2. All subsequent revisions to that business case.
3. The approved capital budget for the project.
4. The amount actually spent to date.
5. All expenditure commitments entered into but not yet paid.
6. The current estimated final cost.
7. Details of any expenditure variations from the original approved budget.
8. The source of funding for the project.
9. The amount borrowed specifically in connection with the project, if any.
10. The interest rate applicable to that borrowing.
11. The borrowing term.
12. The annual financing cost.
13. The capital repayment/MRP arrangements.
14. The total expected financing cost over the life of the borrowing.
15. Any financial model showing how the capital investment is intended to be recovered or funded.

B. Parking income
16. The calculation supporting the Council’s forecast of approximately £50,000 annual parking income.
17. The assumed number of chargeable transactions per day.
18. The assumed current daily car-park usage.
19. The assumed occupancy rate.
20. The assumed average length of stay.
21. The assumed number of charging days per year.
22. The assumptions concerning the 15-minute free period.
23. The assumed number of Blue Badge users.
24. The assumed reduction in usage resulting from the introduction of the £2.50 charge.
25. Any sensitivity analysis showing projected income under different levels of usage.
26. Any forecast showing income if usage falls by 25%, 50% or 75%.

C. Costs of operating the charging scheme
27. The estimated annual cost of payment machines or payment technology.
28. The estimated annual enforcement cost.
29. The estimated annual administration cost.
30. The estimated annual maintenance cost of the charging equipment.
31. The cost of signs and installation.
32. Any other estimated operating costs.
33. The estimated annual net income after all associated costs.

D. Purpose and justification for the charge
34. Any report, briefing, business case, officer report or other document identifying the specific parking or traffic-management problem which the £2.50 charge at Ashenbury is intended to address.
35. Any assessment of:
• parking capacity;
• parking occupancy;
• congestion;
• parking turnover;
• traffic management;
• road safety;
• parking overspill; or
• displacement parking
at or around Ashenbury Park.
36. Any report identifying the statutory purpose relied upon for introducing the charge.
37. Any legal advice concerning the statutory basis for the proposed charge.
38. Any legal advice concerning the principles established in Djanogly v Westminster City Council in relation to parking charges and revenue generation.
39. Any document recording whether revenue generation was a factor in the decision to introduce the charge.
40. Any document recording whether the need to finance the Ashenbury investment was a factor in determining the £2.50 tariff.
41. Any document recording whether the Council’s wider financial position was a factor in the decision.

E. £2.50 tariff
42. The calculation or methodology used to determine the £2.50 tariff.
43. Any analysis of alternative tariffs, including £1, £1.50 and £2.
44. Any analysis of a two-hour free period.
45. Any analysis of peak-period-only charging.
46. Any analysis of retaining free parking.
47. Any document setting or approving an income target for Ashenbury.

F. £50,000 income and capital repayment
48. Any document showing how the anticipated £50,000 annual parking income relates to the capital investment.
49. Any financial model showing the anticipated period over which parking income is expected to contribute towards the investment.
50. Any document showing the anticipated annual financing cost compared with anticipated parking income.
51. Any document stating what proportion of parking income will be spent specifically on Ashenbury.
52. Any document stating what proportion will be available for wider Council expenditure.
53. Any document concerning the statement that the business case includes repayment of the investment in the paths.

G. Decision-making and consultation
54. The committee reports, officer reports, business cases and decision records relating to the decision to invest in the Ashenbury project.
55. Records showing when the decision to introduce parking charges at Ashenbury was first made.
56. Records identifying the officer, committee or Council body that made or recommended that decision.
57. Records showing when the relationship between the capital investment and parking income was first established.
58. Records of any consultation specifically asking residents whether they supported the approximately £200,000/£218,000 investment.
59. Records of any consultation specifically asking residents whether they supported introducing parking charges to help fund the investment.
60. Records of any consultation specifically concerning development of Ashenbury as a Country Park.
61. Records explaining why no specific consultation on the above matters was undertaken before the expenditure was committed.

H. Previous Council decision on free parking
62. Records relating to the Council’s 2025 decision concerning free parking at Ashenbury Park.
63. Any report explaining the subsequent change in policy.
64. Any document identifying what changed between the March 2025 position and the current proposal.
65. Any officer report recommending that the previous position be changed.
66. Any financial analysis relied upon when changing that position.

I. Country Park development
67. Any masterplan for Ashenbury Park.
68. Any business case for developing Ashenbury as a Country Park.
69. Any document defining what the Council means by “Country Park” in relation to Ashenbury.
70. Any plans or proposals for:
• toilets;
• refreshments/café;
• play-area improvements;
• events;
• Parkruns;
• concerts;
• funfairs;
• commercial activities;
• additional paths;
• car-park improvements; or
• other visitor facilities.
71. Any estimated costs for those future developments.
72. Any financial model showing how those developments will be funded.

J. Parking displacement
73. Any assessment of the likely impact of introducing the £2.50 charge on surrounding residential parking.
74. Any traffic assessment concerning Lunds Farm Road, Brandon Avenue and surrounding roads.
75. Any assessment of potential impact around the nearby school.
76. Any assessment of emergency access.
77. Any modelling of displacement parking.
78. Any plans or proposals for future parking restrictions resulting from displacement.

K. Equality and accessibility
79. The Equality Impact Assessment relating specifically to the proposed Ashenbury parking charge.
80. Any accessibility assessment concerning people who have mobility difficulties but do not qualify for a Blue Badge.
81. Any assessment of the impact of the charge on elderly residents.
82. Any assessment of the impact on families and people with young children.

L. Environmental and health impacts
83. Any environmental assessment relating to the parking charge.
84. Any assessment of the potential impact on vehicle mileage and emissions caused by people travelling elsewhere to avoid parking charges.
85. Any assessment of the potential effect of the charge on park usage.
86. Any assessment of the impact on physical activity, walking, recreation or wellbeing.

M. Car park condition
87. The latest condition assessment of the Ashenbury car park.
88. Any report identifying required improvements.
89. Any estimate of the cost of those improvements.
90. Any plans to fund those improvements from parking income.

N. Correspondence and communications
91. Internal correspondence concerning the introduction of the Ashenbury parking charge.
92. Internal correspondence concerning the relationship between the parking charge and the capital investment.
93. Correspondence between Council officers and elected members concerning the proposed charge.
94. Any correspondence referring to the forecast £50,000 annual income.
95. Any correspondence concerning objections or concerns raised by residents about parking charges.
96. Any correspondence concerning the potential impact on dog walkers.
97. Any correspondence concerning the potential impact of parking displacement into residential roads.

Search period
Unless otherwise specified, please search records from 1 January 2025 to the date of this request.
Please provide the information electronically where possible.
Where information is already publicly available, please provide the relevant webpage/document location.
Where any information is withheld, please identify the exemption relied upon and provide the relevant explanation required under the Freedom of Information Act.
Where only part of a document is exempt, please provide the non-exempt remainder.