STRATEGIC PLANNING, SUSTAINABILITY AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

09 October 2018

 

Parking Services Annual Report 2017-18

 

Final Decision-Maker

Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee

Lead Head of Service/Lead Director

Director of Regeneration and Place

Lead Officer and Report Author

Alexander Wells, Parking Services

Classification

Public

Wards affected

All

 

Executive Summary

 

A brief examination of the need for a Parking Services Report, outlining the previous year’s performance and projects completed, to be published online in accordance with governing legislation.

 

 

This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee:

1.   That the Parking Services Annual Report 2017-18 be supported and published online.

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transport Committee

09/10/2018



Parking Services Annual Report 2017-18

 

 

 

1.      INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

1.1        Maidstone Borough Council has a legal responsibility to publish on-street and off-street parking statistics.

 

1.2        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) require the Council to provide the following data:

 

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 out area

1.3        The aim of the report (Appendix 1) is to summarise what services Parking Services provide, as well as how the service operates and how well the service is performing against objectives.

 

1.4        The report improves accountability and transparency by providing a breakdown of income and expenditure on the Council’s parking account and provides details on how any surplus has been allocated.

 

1.5        This report will also update the public about new initiatives, service improvements and products within the service.

 

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

 

1.7        We aim to improve public understanding of Parking Services’ role by demonstrating continuous improvement of customer service and service efficiency.

 

 

2     AVAILABLE OPTIONS

 

2.1     Report to be noted, supported by the Committee and published online as the Council has a responsibility to publish this report in accordance with both the Traffic Management Act 2004 and the Local Government Transparency Code 2015.

 

2.2     To not publish the report will introduce risk to the Council by not adhering to legislation and guidance set out by Central Government.

 

 

3         PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

3.1     Report to be noted, supported by the Committee and published online.

 

3.2     The report provides statistical data and summaries of projects detailing the performance of key parking initiatives in Maidstone as well as budget spend.

 

3.3     Publishing this data introduces minimal risk to the Council and fulfils our responsibilities to be transparent with residents and other stakeholders.

 

 

4         RISK

4.1    This report is presented for noting and member support and therefore has no risk management implications.

 

 

5         CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

 

5.1   There are no requirements to conduct public consultation in relation to the provision of a parking service annual report within current guidance.

 

 

6         NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

 

6.1     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.

 

 

7         CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Impact on Corporate Priorities

Keeping Maidstone Borough an attractive place for all – by seeking to improve the quality of parking services and improved information on services provided to the public. This report also enables the Council’s to meet statutory requirements.

Jeff Kitson

Parking Services Manager

Risk Management

This report is presented for noting and member support and therefore has no risk management implications.

Jeff Kitson

Parking Services Manager

Financial

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

 

Finance Team

Staffing

No implications

 

Jeff Kitson

Parking Services Manager

Legal

The annual report fulfils the Council’s responsibilities under the Local Government Transparency Code 2015 and the Traffic Management Act 2004 as detailed in the body of the report. 

 Keith Trowell, Team Leader (Corporate Governance), MKLS

Privacy and Data Protection

All data being published has no impact on Data Protection and any photos contained within have been published with the consent of the subject.

Legal Team

Equalities

The annual report does not propose a change in service therefore will not require an equalities impact assessment

Equalities and Corporate Policy Officer

Crime and Disorder

No implications

 

Jeff Kitson

Parking Services Manager

Procurement

No implications

 

Jeff Kitson

Head of Service &

Mark Green

Section 151 Officer

 

8         REPORT APPENDICES

 

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

·         Appendix 1: Parking Services Annual Report 2017-18

 

 

9         BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

9.1     None