Greater Shepparton City councillor Anthony Brophy has revealed he wanted to extend free timed parking in the Shepparton CBD but his notice of motion was twice rejected on governance grounds.
Instead Cr Brophy put forward a watered-down version at the February Greater Shepparton City Council meeting on Tuesday.
Rather than extend complimentary parking while a report is prepared, the motion allows free parking to lapse as planned and forces a report to be completed in time for it to be put back on the agenda during budget considerations.
The debate started with Mayor Kim O’Keeffe declaring a conflict of interest, meaning Cr Brophy, as deputy mayor, had to take over the chairing of the meeting and was unable to move his own motion.
Cr Geoff Dobson also declared a conflict and did not participate, while Cr Greg James was an apology and Cr Rob Priestly is on a leave of absence during the federal election campaign.
That left only five councillors in the room.
Cr Sam Spinks moved the motion submitted by Cr Brophy as published in the meeting’s agenda and Cr Seema Abdullah seconded the motion.
Cr Spinks said she supported councillors being able to put forward issues of importance to them.
“It is only calling for a report at the moment,” she said.
Cr Abdullah also supported the motion.
“I am very much looking forward to this report and further assessment and decision making in relation to complimentary parking.”
Cr Fern Summer tried and failed to move an amendment and subsequently spoke against the motion.
“It doesn’t need to stipulate that the free parking ends; the gist I got was we wanted to extend free parking, not end it and then reconsider it,” she said.
“It is going to be extremely confusing for the community.”
Speaking to the motion Cr Brophy said that was not his original intention.
“My original notice of motion was contrary to this,” he said.
“I wanted it to roll over and continue complimentary parking until the end of the financial year but governance rules prevented me from doing that.”
Cr Brophy said the impact of Shepparton’s Maude St Mall redevelopment and the impacts of the pandemic were still biting, and an extension of complimentary parking would have helped businesses and been welcomed by customers.
Cr Shane Sali said the decision on future complimentary parking needed to be simplified.
“Personally, I see complimentary parking not as the single most important incentive, but it is one of many enablers that contribute to the success of our region,” he said.
“It gets highlighted as the only one, and it is not.”
In the end the motion was carried unopposed, meaning a report on complimentary parking is due in May so any further free periods can be budgeted for.
February 28 will be the last day of the extended complimentary parking period.