A report of the Deputy Managing Director Place Shaping and Corporate Performance providing the panel with an overview of the performance and operational arrangements of the Parking Service since the award of the enforcement contract to NSL.

The panel will also receive a presentation from Neil Hutchins, NSL.

The panel received a report from the Parking Manager, where he outlined the details of the contract with NSL and outlined the key changes and improvements to the service:

·        extended hours of enforcement

·        wider remit

·        increased income

·        improved service with less staff due to increased use of technology

·        new initiatives to tackle parking around schools

·        improvements in dealing with persistent offenders

·        one day per month for enforcement on persistent offenders

There followed a discussion around enforcement and removal of vehicles, where councillors expressed concerns about costs of vehicle removal, impounding of vehicles and the use of bailiffs.  The Parking Manager explained the legislation covering this and that bailiffs had been used in Watford for a long time.  Further questions regarding statistics were raised and the Chair signposted members to the annual report and suggested discussing with the Parking Manager outside the meeting. 

There followed questions around data protection and GDPR compliance if personal details on persistent offenders were held.  All were assured that this was lawful.

There followed explanations of the back office functions, equipment changes and intelligent patrols for improved efficiency. 

Councillor Mauthoor asked about any exemption for community nurses.  It was explained that this was not the case, but there were a number of other options such as special permits for those with special needs and each resident has 400 hours per year of visitor permits.   

There followed a discussion around educating motorists about parking and its enforcement.  The panel expressed concern that education was important and asked what was being done to address this.  The Parking Manager admitted that despite the parking guide being published for all to read, plus ongoing education in schools (targeting parents via educating their children was highly efficient), this was an area  for improvement.  However, many of the processes were tightly governed by legislation, so there was little room for manoeuvre. 

Councillor Hofman asked where the £700,000 raised in parking fines was spent.  The Parking Manager explained that parking was required to be self-funding and the funds raised were ring-fenced for transport initiatives such as the freedom passes. 

Councillor Mauthoor asked if the parking officers received any training in identifying suspicious activity, or persons with special needs in order to tie in with Police/PCSOs and the work of the Community Safety Partnership.  Councillor Hofman added to this, asking if the staff were dementia trained. 

Neil Hutchings, Account Director, NSL responded that he recently met with the Police on such issues and his staff were dementia trained. 

At this point, the Chair drew the discussion on the annual report to a close and invited Neil Hutchings, Account Director, NSL to deliver his report, contained in the agenda. 

The report was discussed and a question was asked about consultation with residents.  The Parking Manager explained that this would normally be carried out by the council, not the contractor. 

There followed a discussion around payment methods and in particular, cashless payments. Neil Hutchings explained that cash was not being removed, rather other methods of payment were being added.  The Parking Manager added that strategic changes such as this were driven by Watford Borough Council and he confirmed that a range of payment methods would continue to be offered and cash payments would continue to form part of that range.

Councillor Saffery asked if there had been an increase in enforcement patrols at schools.  Neil Hutchings stated that patrols were now deployed more carefully and intelligently.

There followed a brief discussion around the features of the parking machines.  The Parking Manager confirmed that NSL did not make the machines and that nationally, as there were only a couple of manufacturers, the features tended to be standardised. 

The Chair thanked the NSL representatives and the Parking Manager and his Deputy for their input.

RESOLVED –

that the report and presentation be noted.