The Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, Councillor Jennifer Warren, met on Friday 13 February 2026 to discuss several key issues. Decisions were made regarding annual pay and display charges and traffic model licensing fees. The meeting also addressed a proposed traffic signal junction in Rugby, which was deferred for a site visit, and a consultation on a SEND Resourced Provision, which was withdrawn.

Annual Pay and Display Charge Review - Response to Call-In

Councillor Jennifer Warren, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, reconsidered the decision made on 12 December 2025 regarding annual pay and display charges. Following recommendations from the Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 7 January 2026, the proposed increase to the 15-minute parking charge was reduced from 45p to 35p. The proposal to introduce a new 10-minute free parking period was not taken forward. The council will engage with local businesses affected by the 15-minute charge increase on any future changes, acknowledging that other price bands are determined by district and borough car parking rates. All other elements of the 12 December 2025 decision remain in force.

The reasons for these decisions include encouraging motorists to use on-street parking bays for quick delivery or pick-up activities, which supports town centre economic growth and improves compliance. Introducing a 10-minute free parking period was deemed not recommended due to limited on-street parking availability, the potential for misuse, and the increased enforcement and administrative costs. The council will continue to engage with Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) regarding future parking charge increases.

The original decision on 12 December 2025 had approved an increase in pay and display charges for Leamington, Warwick, Stratford, and Kenilworth, while rates in Rugby remained unchanged. A call-in notice was received due to concerns that the 50% increase for the 15-minute segment was excessive compared to the 12.5% increase for other bands. The Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommended reducing the 15-minute charge to 35p, considering a 10-minute free parking period, and engaging with local businesses.

The financial implications of reducing the 15-minute charge to 35p are a forecast reduction in income of £21,398 per annum. However, the non-monetary benefits, such as supporting quick turnover visits and enhancing town centre vitality, were considered sufficient justification. The introduction of a 10-minute free parking session would have incurred significant additional enforcement costs and a loss of parking income. Environmentally, the pricing strategy aims to support short-stay use and encourage longer-stay parkers to use off-street car parks, reducing through traffic and improving air quality.

Fees and Charges - Traffic Model Licencing

Councillor Jennifer Warren approved changes to fees and charges for Traffic Model Licence fees and data fees, effective from 1 April 2026. These changes require approval from the Portfolio Holder as per the Council's Constitution. Fees and charges are reviewed regularly to reflect delivery costs and offer value for money.

The Transport Planning service maintains traffic models used by developers and their consultants to support Transport Assessments for planning applications. Licence fees are reviewed annually. A review in November 2025 recommended minor adjustments to ensure the cost of service provision is covered.

The proposed changes include an 18% increase for Model Access Band A, from £8,500 to £10,000, to reflect the time spent by officers in reviewing model information and the need for more regular reviews of model validity. Fees for Bands B, C, D, and E remain unchanged due to previous increases. The fee for Model Data Supply remains dependent on the request. Model Data Extraction fees will increase by 27%, from £110 to £140 per junction per scenario, to accurately reflect the time and resource required for the extraction process.

Financially, the model licencing service is a zero-budget service aiming to break even, with income reinvested into model development and maintenance. The service receives between £200-300k annually through model licencing. The proposed increases are expected to generate a minimum of £16,500 additional income if the current demand for Band A licences continues. The increase in data extraction fees will apply to approximately 10-20 requests per annum. If the proposed increases are not approved, the service may not be able to maintain and create new models to the current level, impacting development assessments and the Council's ability to maintain up-to-date models for Local Plan assessments and highway schemes. Fees for modelling consultancy are also set to increase, and the proposed licence fee increases will mitigate these additional costs. There are no environmental implications associated with these changes.

Proposed Traffic Signal Junction B4429 Ashlawn Road / Barby Road / Onley Lane, Rugby (Updated following a subsequent objection to the original report)

The decision on the proposed traffic signal-controlled junction at Ashlawn Road / Barby Road / Onley Lane, Rugby was deferred to allow for a site visit. This matter was previously presented to the Portfolio Holder on 13 June 2025, with a recommendation to approve the introduction of the traffic signal-controlled junction, pedestrian facilities, and a toucan crossing, conditional upon a Highways Act 1980, section 278 agreement being in place.

The deferral was requested due to the complexity of the matter, particularly concerning an objection raised by the property owner of Upper Rainsbrook Lodge regarding the wording used in a previous report. The proposed scheme is a requirement of a planning application granted in January 2016 for residential development of up to 860 dwellings. The improvements include converting the existing crossroad junction into a traffic signal-controlled junction.

Concerns were raised by the owners of Upper Rainsbrook Lodge regarding the detrimental impact on access to their property, the danger to cyclists and pedestrians, the impact on services, increased pollution, loss of privacy, and the loss of the rural aspect due to tree removal. Officers responded by proposing the installation of a vehicle detection loop to activate an all-red signal phase, allowing safe exit from the property. They also stated that sufficient space would remain for cyclists and pedestrians, waste collection services would not be impacted, and noise and light pollution would be mitigated. Existing trees and hedgerows surrounding the property will be retained.

Warwickshire Police support the proposals, and local councillors are aware of the plans as they align with the planning condition. The costs for the scheme will be fully funded by the developer under a Section 278 agreement.

Consultation on the Establishment of a SEND Resourced Provision

The decision regarding the consultation on the establishment of a SEND Resourced Provision at Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, Princethorpe was withdrawn and will not be taken until further notice.

Local Authorities are responsible for ensuring sufficient school places, including specialist provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Warwickshire County Council aims to provide sufficient Resourced Provision across local area schools to meet demand, allowing children to access quality education within their communities. Resourced Provisions are purpose-built areas within existing schools that support children with additional needs while they attend mainstream settings.

The proposal was to establish a Resourced Provision for up to eight primary-aged pupils with an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) whose primary needs are in communication and interaction (C&I). This would involve a statutory consultation process. If approved, capital works would be required, with the provision hoped to be operational from September 2026. The consultation period was proposed to be between 23 February and 22 March 2026.

The financial implications of the consultation itself would be met from existing revenue budgets. If the provision is approved, capital costs for remodelling and refurbishing existing space would be covered by existing education capital funding. The establishment of Resourced Provision is part of the Council's strategy to manage the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) by reducing reliance on more expensive independent specialist provision and focusing on effective in-county provision. This also has potential environmental benefits through reduced transport emissions. An Equality Impact Assessment was conducted, indicating positive impacts for children with disabilities and age-related needs, with neutral impacts for other protected characteristics.