STRATEGIC PLANNING, SUSTAINABILITY AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

11 July 2017

Is the final decision on the recommendations in this report to be made at this meeting?

Yes

 

Parking Services Annual Report

 

Final Decision-Maker

Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee

Lead Head of Service

Director of Regeneration & Place

Lead Officer and Report Author

Alexander Wells, Parking Services

Classification

Public

Wards affected

All

 

 

This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee:

That the Parking Services Annual Report 2016/17, at Appendix A, be noted.

 

 

This report relates to the following corporate priorities:

·         Keeping Maidstone Borough an attractive place for all –

By managing parking demand and regulating dangerous and antisocial parking.

 

·         Securing a successful economy for Maidstone Borough –

By ensuring the free flow of traffic, easing congestion.

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Corporate Leadership Team

06/06/2017

Strategic Planning Sustainability and Transport Committee

11/07/2017



Parking Services Annual Report

 

 

1.        PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 

1.1     Maidstone Borough Council has a legal responsibility to publish certain information in accordance with Department for Transport Operational Guidance and the Local Government Transparency Code.

 

o   The Traffic management Act 2004, Operational Guidance to Local Authorities states that:

 

Enforcement authorities should produce an annual report about their enforcement activities within six months of the end of each financial year. The report should be published and as a minimum it should cover the financial, statistical and other data.

 

o   Local Government Transparency Code 2015 requires the Council to:

 

a.    Publish a breakdown of income and expenditure on the authority’s parking account

 

b.    Publish the number of marked out controlled on and off-street parking spaces within our area

 

1.2     The transparency given by regular and consistent reporting should help the public understand and accept the Civil Parking Enforcement process and provide information to the public on new initiatives and developments within the service.

 

 

2.        INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

2.1     In accordance with the requirements of The Department for Transport Operational Guidance to Local Authorities, Parking Policy and Enforcement (section 4.15/4.24) and the Local Government Transparency Code 2014 (part 2.2), Maidstone Borough Council has a responsibility to publish an Annual Report detailing on-street and off-street parking statistics.

 

2.2     The aim of the report (Appendix A) is to summarise what services Parking Services provide, as well as how the service operates and how well the service is performing against objectives.

 

2.3     The report improves accountability and transparency by providing a breakdown of income and expenditure on the Councils parking account and provides information on how any surplus has been allocated.

 

2.4     Monitoring service performance and financial performance allows us to continually develop the service and identify areas where services could be improved. The data also allows us to benchmark our services against other authorities.

 

2.5     The Annual Report also gives us the opportunity to improve the public perception of Civil Parking Enforcement activity by demonstrating continuous improvement of customer service and service efficiency.

 

 

3.       NEXT STEPS

 

3.1     The next step is to publish the Parking Service Annual Report on the Council’s webpages and provide links to agencies such as the British Parking Association and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.

 

 

4.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Impact on Corporate Priorities

Keeping Maidstone Borough an attractive place for all by managing parking demand and regulating dangerous and antisocial parking.

 

Securing a successful economy for Maidstone Borough by ensuring the free flow of traffic, reducing congestion.

Jeff Kitson

Parking Services Manager

Risk Management

None identified

 

Financial

Financial transparency – all financial data has been reviewed and verified by a Senior Finance Officer prior to publication.

Finance Team

Staffing

No implications

 

Legal

The proposals contained within this report meet legal requirements in relation to the Local Government Transparency Code 2015 and meets the requirements of the Traffic management Act 2004, Operational Guidance to Local Authorities

Legal Team

Equality Impact Needs Assessment

No detrimental impact on individuals with protected characteristics identified.

Equalities and Corporate Policy Officer

Environmental/Sustainable Development

None identified

 

Community Safety

Improved public perception of service may reduce the frequency and severity of abuse received by Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) from members of the public.

Jeff Kitson

Parking Services Manger

Human Rights Act

None identified

 

Procurement

None identified

 

Asset Management

None identified

 

 

5.        REPORT APPENDICES

 

The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:

·         Appendix A: Parking Services Annual Report 2016/17

 

 

6.        BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

None