To seek approval from Cabinet for the procurement of a mobile enforcement vehicle and to recommend to Council a revision to the Capital Programme for 2016-17 to 2026-27 to include a budget of £68,000 for the purchase of the Civil Parking mobile enforcement vehicle.

The Corporate Director Communities presented a report seeking approval from Cabinet for the procurement of a mobile enforcement vehicle and to recommend to Council a revision to the Capital Programme for 2016-17 to 2026-27 to include a budget of £68,000 for the purchase of the Civil Parking mobile enforcement vehicle. 

On 1^st April 2013 BCBC was given the powers to undertake civil parking enforcement under the legislative powers of the Traffic Management Act 2004, to deliver effective parking enforcement. Certain areas such as outside schools were particularly difficult to enforce by officers on foot because their physical presence deterred motorists from contravening regulations when they were in the area but not when they left. Road safety outside schools was vitally important and concerns had been expressed by schools, parents and local members representing the community.

The report included proposals for the introduction of mobile CCTV enforcement of parking restrictions to compliment the current foot patrols carried out by the Civil Enforcement Officers. The vehicle would not be covert and would be clearly signed as a mobile enforcement unit.

To minimise disruption to the existing enforcement and appeals service, two additional officers would be required to implement the service, one to operate the vehicle and review data and one to deal with the back office side of the system.

Set up costs would be covered by an earmarked reserve created for the Civil Parking Enforcement service arising from underspends. It was estimated that set up costs would be circa £68,000 for the vehicle and enforcement system supply and set up. Ongoing costs would be financed through income generated from the additional PCNs issued as a result of the introduction of the vehicle.

The Deputy Leader added that road safety outside schools was vitally important and concerns had been expressed by schools, parents and local members representing their communities.

The Cabinet Member for Communities explained that there was a serious problem at Brynteg Comprehensive where a number of initiatives to encourage sensible parking had been largely ignored. This proposal was welcomed for the welfare and safety of children.

The Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Future Generations supported the proposal to improve safety around schools and asked if the vehicle would concentrate on hot spots or a rota system around different schools. She also requested the cost over a three year period. The Corporate Director Communities explained that apart from the one off cost of £68,000 to purchase equipment, the scheme would be self-funding  as detailed in the report. There would be no strict rota and the vehicle would be used depending on resources and priority.

The Leader commented that it was intended that mobile enforcement would also have an impact on unauthorised parking in bus stops, inconsiderate parking on yellow lines, abuse of zig-zags and loading bays. However the primary reason for the vehicle was to improve road safety and make the areas around schools safer.

RESOLVED               That Cabinet:

1)    Approved the purchase of a mobile enforcement vehicle and camera, and associated software/hardware to allow the CPE service to enforce parking restrictions.

2)    Noted the employment of two additional support staff within the CPE team – one additional CEO to operate the vehicle and review the data plus one officer to manage increased appeals that would be generated by the increased PCN levels.

3)    Agreed that a report be submitted to Council for approval to amend the capital programme to include a budget of £68,000 to fund the purchase of the Civil Parking mobile enforcement vehicle, to be met from earmarked reserves.