Agenda item

To receive and consider report 246/05 of the Strategic Director.    

Introduction and Report Summary

Oxfordshire County Council have resolved to introduce Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) in all Oxfordshire Districts, including the Vale. It is the stated objective of the Department for Transport (DfT) that DPE should bring together the control and enforcement of both on-street and off-street parking in the interest of public understanding. This Council is responsible for the provision and enforcement of public off-street parking, and derives a revenue income from this service; therefore, the introduction of DPE in the Vale will clearly have an impact on the Vale’s parking activity.

The purpose of this report is to provide Members with an introduction to DPE, set out the County Councils initial proposals on how they see DPE being implemented, and consider the effect that this may have on the Vale’s parking service. It is not intended at this stage that Members should take a formal decision on detailed matters, but that the Executive should give an initial reaction to some principal issues, to enable Officers to commence detailed discussions with the County Council.

The Contact Officer for this report is Gordon Willcox, Section Head (Transportation) telephone 01235 540390.

Recommendations

That the Executive:

Advise Oxfordshire County Council that:

a)                  this Council supports, in principle, the implementation of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement throughout the Vale, subject to agreement on all financial, operational and administrative details;

b)                  this Council is willing, in principle, to assume responsibility for the management of both on-street and off-street parking enforcement, subject to reaching agreement with the County Council on the way that these operations will be funded, and how surpluses will be apportioned;

c)                  this Council has an objection, in principle, to the centralisation of the administration of DPE by the County Council, subject to further discussions and clarification of the relevant issues;

d)                  this Council is willing, in principle, to provide the facilities for the payment of parking fines, subject to agreement on the way that this operation will be funded;

Request that the Assistant Director (Planning) advise the County Council of its decisions in relation to recommendations 2.1a), b), c), and d); and authorise Officers to commence detailed discussions with the County Council on the future management of DPE, including investigating opportunities for partnership working with both the County and the other Oxfordshire District Councils, and report subsequent progress to the Executive as soon as practicable. 

(Time: 4.07pm to 4.25pm)

(CouncillorRoz Smith declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34, she remained in the meeting during its consideration.) 

The Executive received and considered report 246/05 of the Strategic Director regarding the decision by Oxfordshire County Council to introduce Decriminalised Parking Enforcement in all Oxfordshire Districts.  This would bring together the control and enforcement of both on-street and off-street parking in the interest of better public understanding.  The report set out the County Council's proposals on how decriminalised parking would be implemented and considered the effect that this might have on the Vale’s parking service.  The Executive was asked to give an initial reaction to some main issues to enable detailed discussions with the County Council. 

To progress the project, the following steps were required:

• Decide on the new arrangements through discussions with the County Council and other District Councils
• Determine the information technology requirements and how these could be procured
• Audit all existing road markings to ensure that they were consistent with the existing traffic orders
• Compile a database of traffic orders, amending where necessary any existing orders
• Complete agreements with District Councils for the enforcement service
• Consult on and publicise the new enforcement arrangements

The County Council had set a target date for implementation throughout the county in 2008.  Whilst much remained to be discussed with District Councils, at this preliminary stage the County Council was suggesting the following arrangements should be considered:

• Centralised penalty notice processing in Oxford
• District Councils to manage both on and off-street enforcement
• District Councils to provide the facilities for the payment of parking fines

Under this option Districts would be responsible for the staffing and management issues relating to the enforcement element, which would include both patrolling and administrative staff.  This was likely to involve the transfer of existing County Council Traffic Wardens under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) arrangements and the recruitment of new staff.  This also proposed the centralisation of the penalty notice processing element in Oxford. 

The intention was for the service to be self financing.  The County Council had to agree to underwrite any deficits incurred through the off-street operation.  Separate parking accounts would ring fence income derived from on-street and off-street operations.  The Vale would retain all of its income from its off-street car parks whilst income from on-street parking and on-street parking offences would go to the County Council. 

Members welcomed the proposal, believing that it would reduce confusion amongst the public as to who controlled parking enforcement.  Members also considered that enforcement would improve under a single organisation and would help with the implementation of the Integrated Transport Strategies in town centres.  Members supported the recommendations on the understanding that much of the detail still had to be agreed with the County Council. 

RESOLVED

(a)        that the Oxfordshire County Council be advised that:

(i)         this Council supports, in principle, the implementation of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement throughout the Vale, subject to agreement on all financial, operational and administrative details;

(ii)        this Council is willing, in principle, to assume responsibility for the management of both on-street and off-street parking enforcement, subject to reaching agreement with the County Council on the way that these operations will be funded, and how surpluses will be apportioned;

(iii)       this Council has an objection, in principle, to the centralisation of the administration of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement by the County Council, subject to further discussions and clarification of the relevant issues;

(iv)       this Council is willing, in principle, to provide the facilities for the payment of parking fines, subject to agreement on the way that this operation will be funded; and

(b)        that the Assistant Director (Planning) be requested to advise the County Council of its decisions in relation to (a) above and authorise officers to commence detailed discussions with the County Council on the future management of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement, including investigating opportunities for partnership working with both the County Council and the other Oxfordshire District Councils, and report subsequent progress to the Executive as soon as practicable.