Decision Details

The 2024/5 Budget included proposals to introduce charges in three of Birmingham’s parks: Lickey Hills Country Park, Sheldon Country Park and Sutton Park.

This budget assumes delivery in July 2025 and the MTFP includes this budget assumption. The implementation of these schemes has met with delay therefore the income of £381k will be achieved through the implementation of these charges in 2026-27 onwards.

Cabinet approved the use of £981k of capital contingencies to progress the schemes on 13th May 2025.

Within the aforementioned approval, Cabinet delegated authority to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport to proceed with the Sutton Park scheme following completion of the formal TRO process (Minute number 3.7 refers (Cabinet report, “Outcome from informal consultations on proposed parking charges in parks and proposal to progress formal Traffic Regulation Orders (Off-street Parking Places Orders”) approved 13th May)).

The overall approach is to ask Park users to contribute towards the costs of maintaining these parks and green spaces through paying for parking.

Informal consultation for the proposed charging scheme took place between 15th November and 6th December 2024. The findings from the informal consultation indicated reduced parking charges were preferable (and may lessen the impact of potential displacement parking), a 30 minute grace period of free parking was preferred (to allow parents to drop off/pick up children from the groups that operate within the parks) and that volunteers who assist with the upkeep of the parks should receive free parking permits. In line with the feedback from the informal consultation we have amended and improved the scheme from the original proposals.

In accordance with the Council’s approach to introducing Traffic Regulation Orders (Off Street Parking Places Orders), formal consultation for the Sutton Park scheme was undertaken between 1st and 29th August 2025, seeking views of park visitors, residents, stakeholders and ward members. The TRO process allows for formal objections to be raised and reports detailing the objections (and the Council’s responses) can be found in Appendix A (Sutton Park objection report).

Parking restrictions introduced as part of the proposed schemes will be subject to a separate statutory consultation, and follow the process set out above i.e. objection report for consideration and final decision.

This report gives effect to the prior Cabinet decision about the charging scheme for Sutton Park following the public consultation.

On the 16 January 2026, the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport; 

(i) Noted the results of the formal consultation for Sutton Park undertaken between 1st and 29th August 2025, a summary of which is attached as Appendix B to the report.

(ii) Noted and considered the objection report within Appendix A to the report. 

(iii) Approved spend against corporate capital contingency of £641.1k to fund the installation of the parking scheme as an Invest to Save.

(iv) Approved the introduction of parking charges at Sutton Park following completion of the formal Traffic Regulation Order process, notwithstanding the objections received.

(v) Approved the phased implementation of parking restrictions as part of the scheme for Sutton Park, in line with the Council’s normalised approach to introducing Traffic Regulation Orders. The first phase of parking restrictions to be in effect prior to the implementation of these charging schemes.

(vi) Delegated authority to approve award of contracts to the Director, Commercial and Procurement (or their delegate), the Director of Finance (or their delegate), and Interim City Solicitor (or their delegate); and

(v) Authorised the City Solicitor to enter into any agreements necessary to give effect to the above decision.

THIS DECISION IS NOT SUBJECT TO CALL-IN.