Minutes:
The Head of Street Scene and Community updated the Overview Board on the implementation of the Civil Parking Enforcement proposals and the agency agreement with Worcestershire County Council. He advised that a proposed agency agreement had been sent to the County Council and that the Council was awaiting a response. The agency agreement governed the way in which funding and income generation from parking enforcement worked. When an agreement had been reached with the County Council over the agency agreement, BDC would be able to put together a business case for parking enforcement in the District. It was anticipated that that this would take about 12 months, taking into account the negotiations over the agency agreement with the County Council, putting together a business case and rolling out the service provisions.
Questions and comments were received from Members of the Overview Board to the Head of Street Scene and Community. He was asked how many other district authorities in Worcestershire had followed a similar path, to which he responded that he knew of four that had and two that had not. He felt that the problem with the current arrangements was that they were ambiguous in some important respects as to the responsibilities of the County Council and this could be very costly to the District. Members were informed that it was necessary to reach an agreement and clarification on the allocation of responsibilities and the resultant costs so that a proper robust business case could be put together.
The Head of Street Scene and Community was also asked if he had communicated with the other authorities that had reviewed their agency agreement with the County Council. He replied that he had and that the BDC needs from such an agreement had been identified. Advice had been taken from other district authorities on the prospects for income generation, but there was a need to have an agency agreement that suited the particular needs of BDC. The business case would run over a 5 year period and it was anticipated that after 3 years BDC should anticipate a return on its investments.
In response to a query as to whether the parking enforcement strategy was District wide, the Head of Street Scene and Community responded that it was, but that the town centres were inevitably the focus of much of the parking enforcement measures as these areas were where the problems were.
With regards to the workings of parking enforcement, Members were informed that most of the parking restrictions were already in place, including signage and road marking. It was noted that the County Council were ultimately responsible for highways and therefore restriction measures on the highway.
During the discussion it was suggested that there was a need in some wards for residential parking and that consideration should be given for the introduction of residential parking schemes in some parts of the District. In response, Members were informed that when the agency agreement had been agreed it would be possible to consider the introduction of residential parking schemes in the future.
The Chairman thanked the Head of Street Scene and Community for his contribution.