Agenda item

(To receive a report from Matt Jones, Parking Services Manager, which invites the Committee to consider and comment on the Annual Parking Report 2020/21 which covers the period from 1st April 2020 to 31st March 2021)

Consideration was given to a report from Matt Jones, Parking Services Manager, which invited the Committee to consider and comment on the Annual Parking Report 2020/21. Members were advised that the 2020/21 Covid-19 restrictions had a significant impact on the Civil Parking Service with enforcement being considerably scaled back. The Enforcement Team were then drafted in to provide assistance to the Council with the re-opening of Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs). As restrictions were lifted, East Coast beaches saw significantly increased demand which resulted in a greater need for enforcement of existing parking restrictions. A number of positive comments and feedback was received from appreciative residents. A fair, but firm, enforcement approach continued to be applied following the parking enforcement guidance. Council's CCTV trial scheme came to an end in March 2020 and was being replaced by a physical presence of officers patrolling school sites. Members of the public could now report parking enforcement breaches enabling Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) to respond directly. The introduction of the Business and Planning Act. 2020 gave powers to mid-tier councilsto process the Pavement Licences, however, it was agreed that Lincolnshire County Council wouldprocess applications for six of the districts excluding the City of Lincoln. The interactive online maps allowed for detailed Civil Parking Enforcement data to become accessible to members of the public. A reduction of 10,565 Parking Enforcement Notices was noted between the period 2020/21 compared to 2019/20 as a result of reduced enforcement activity. Of the 1,981 challenges received in the financial year 2020/21, 1,931 (97 per cent), were responded to in time. The overall reduction in tickets issued resulted in a deficit of £100,510.72 over 2020/21 and therefore, £58,427.28 was drawn from reserve in line with budget transferred from the Covid grant to the amount of £158,938.00.

The Committee considered the report, and during the discussion the following comments were noted:-

·       Members registered their appreciation of the reconsidered approach to parking violation mitigation outside schools.

·       Noting the significant number in parking waivers issued in Lincoln compared to the other district councils, Members sought further clarification. The Parking Services Manager explained that Lincoln’s high waiver issue rate for 2020/21 was typical. Historically, waivers were issued from Council offices in Lincoln, and, while the process for wavier dispensing had progressed, the take-up remained the same. It was stressed that the waiver facility was highlighted to all road users.

·       Appreciating the demand for short term parking provision in Boston Marketplace, Members asked if there was any capacity to provide such a facility. The Parking Services Manager advised that there were a number of on street charges in Boston. In 2012, Boston Traffic Regulation Order was consolidated after civil parking was introduced, as a result of this, those on street areas that were previously considered as carparks by Boston were classed as on street areas. The income from the bays were managed by Boston District Council while Lincolnshire County Council enforced the bays. 

·       Members sought further clarity on the enforcement activity against Police vehicles. The Parking Services Manager explained that Police vehicles were exempt from Parking Enforcement Notices providing they were actively on duty at the time of the incident. Furthermore, a number of designated Police bays sat within the county, which, if found occupying, non-Police vehicles were subject to a Parking Enforcement Notice.

·       Noting that the 2020/21 £100,510.72 deficit was compensated from Civil Parking Enforcement reserves, Members asked how much remained withinthe Civil Parking Enforcement reserves. The Parking Services Manager offered to provide the detail of CPE reserves outside of the meeting.

·       Following the period of reduced enforcement, Members asked if parking restriction breaches were noted as increasing. The Parking Services Manager explained that during that period, officers conducted a survey of parking restriction breaches, which identified a notable increase in parking violation as the reduced enforcement period progressed.

RESOLVED

1.       That the content of the Civil Parking Enforcement Annual Report 2020/21 be noted.

2.       That the Civil Parking Enforcement Annual Report 2020/21 be published on the Council’s website.