Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director: Environmental Services

Purpose of report

To present to Executive a proposal to change the car parking enforcement process and overarching Policy, having regard to comments and findings by the Local Government Ombudsman regarding the conduct of car parking enforcement, and also the length of time that has elapsed since the Policy was last reviewed.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

1.1           To note the report and the recommendations of the Local Government Ombudsman and the action plan to address those recommendations in so far as the same concern the enforcement of excess charges.

1.2           To approve the revised Car Parking Enforcement Policy at Appendix 2.

Resolved

(1)            That the report and the recommendations of the Local Government Ombudsman and the action plan to address those recommendations in so far as the same concern the enforcement of excess charges be noted.

(2)            That the revised Car Parking Enforcement Policy (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved. .

The Assistant Director: Environmental Services submitted a report which presented a proposal to change the car parking enforcement process and overarching Policy, having regard to the comments and findings by the Local Government Ombudsman regarding the conduct of car parking enforcement, and also the length of time that has elapsed since the Policy was last reviewed.

Resolved

(1)            That the report and the recommendations of the Local Government Ombudsman and the action plan to address those recommendations in so far as the same concern the enforcement of excess charges be noted.

(2)            That the revised Car Parking Enforcement Policy (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

Reasons

The recommendations in this report address the Local Government Ombudsman’s comments and concerns regarding the Council’s car parking enforcement process. In particular it simplifies the approach to parking enforcement by removing from the process at the earliest opportunity the involvement of Bristow and Suter as enforcement agents chasing payment on Apcoa’s behalf. Apcoa will now remind customers of outstanding excess charges before referring the matter directly to the Council, who will then decide upon prosecuting that customer in the magistrate’s court for the unpaid ECN.  

The proposed new Policy takes account of the process proposed. 

Alternative Options

To reject the new Car Parking Enforcement Policy and ask officers to reconsider the same having regard to the report from the Local Government Ombudsman