AT the Southern Grampians Shire Council’s ordinary meeting on Wednesday night, council presented a report in response to the petition it received against the recent installation of the parking meters in Hamilton’s CBD.

SGSC wellbeing, planning and regulation director, Rory Neeson said the petition against the parking meters asked concerned community members to consider if they believed the new parking meters were detrimental to the shopfront businesses that occupy positions in close vicinity to the parking meters.

The petition posed the question, do the meters inconvenience shoppers, diners and business people due to the limited one hour maximum time limit restrictions and whether it discouraged shoppers from making purchases in the Hamilton CBD or inconvenienced disabled, frail or elderly people who may need to walk extra distances to a parking meter.

Mr Neeson said council acknowledged that there had been ongoing community dialogue and potentially some dissatisfaction with paid parking in the CBD.

“However, (SGSC) reaffirm the previous strategic work council has completed, which recognises the intent and application of regulated parking in the CBD to ensure flow of traffic and parking for those community members that require it,” he said.

“To ensure further transparency, council officers have actually commenced some work on developing a policy to provide further guidance on decision making and to ensure transparency for the community for sustainable operation of parking services into the future. And any of the changes to the current parking arrangements could be reviewed as part of this policy.”

Cr Katrina Rainsford said she was pleased that a policy was being developed and asked what points of contention that had been raised, would be included in policy development.

“All factors that we’ve heard raised will definitely be considered as part of the development of that draft policy,” Mr Neeson said.

“That’s not saying that it’s going to do everything that we’ve heard, but it’s definitely part of the review.”

Cr Rainsford also asked whether there would be the option of using cash going forward like there was in Warrnambool’s CBD.

Mr Neeson said additional parking meters were being installed but they would be the same as those already in place.

Council passed the motion to receive the petition and implement the Parking Meter Policy.