Summary and Link to Corporate Priorities

REPORT TO DATE OF MEETING

Cabinet 13 May 2009

Report template revised June 2008

SUBJECT PORTFOLIO AUTHOR ITEM Mark Management Arrangements for Car Parks Streetscene Gaffney

SUMMARY AND LINK TO CORPORATE PRIORITIES

The Parkwise partnership is due to end in September 2009. This follows the decision by Lancashire County Council to directly deliver on street parking enforcement itself. The districts will continue to be responsible for management of their own car parks, including enforcement.

LCC is currently conducting a tendering exercise for its parking management and enforcement arrangements. Also a Team Lancashire project is currently ongoing to carry out an options appraisal for the future management arrangements for the district councils’ car parks. This report seeks delegated authority to select the most appropriate option for the Council once the outcomes are known from the Team Lancashire project and the LCC procurement exercise. The report also provides an update on the Team Lancashire project.

The proposals in the report link directly to the corporate priorities of Clean, Green and Safe and Strong South Ribble in the Heart of a Prosperous Central Lancashire.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. the Head of Streetscene be authorised to select the most appropriate option for the future management and enforcement of the Council’s car parks, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Streetscene,

2. the update on the Team Lancashire project be noted.

DETAILS AND REASONING

1. Background

The Parkwise partnership is due to end in September 2009. This follows the decision by Lancashire County Council to directly deliver on street parking enforcement itself. The districts will continue to be responsible for the management of their own car parks, including enforcement.

At the Team Lancashire Board meeting on 26th February 2009, it was agreed that all districts should be invited to participate in the off street parking options appraisal exercise commissioned by Team Lancashire. Ten districts have signed up to be involved and work is currently ongoing to appraise a number of options for delivering off street car parking management and enforcement.

LCC is also currently undertaking a procurement exercise for a ticket processing system and on street parking enforcement. LCC has indicted that following the completion of the tendering

1 exercise it will offer the districts the option to use it’s back office service, ticket processing system and enforcement contract.

2. Options Appraisal

Team Lancashire with the support of ten districts is carrying out an options appraisal of potential solutions for the districts to deliver off street car parking management and enforcement. This includes back office services, ticket processing system and enforcement. The back office service manages and processes parking tickets and collects fine income.

This exercise includes the investigation of a number of potential options available from different companies which are as follows:

2.1 Ticket Processing System Only

Discussions have been held with a company which can provide a ticket processing system. However, this option would require the districts to set up a back office service with one of the districts acting as the host council. The company does not provide an enforcement service so this would have to be sourced separately.

2.2 Full Service including Back Office, Ticket Processing System and Enforcement

Discussions are also taking place with a company which can provide a fully inclusive and managed service including back office, ticket processing system and enforcement services.

2.3 Procurement Hub

A possible framework contract via a procurement hub has been identified. Discussions are taking place with a company which can offer the fully inclusive and managed service including back office, ticket processing system and enforcement.

2.4 In house Parking Wardens

The use of in house parking wardens to carry out parking and possibly other aspects of enforcement is being investigated, but this option would still require back office services and a ticket processing system to be supplied externally. Following the conclusion of the options appraisal exercise it is likely that the provision of in house wardens and an external back office and ticket processing system will be considered to be not financially viable for a small district acting alone.

Another difficulty around this option is that statutory guidance indicates that civil parking enforcement should not be combined with other enforcement activities. However, the legal implications of this are currently being investigated as part of the options appraisal exercise.

2.5 Clustering of Districts

Another in-house solution is being investigated which would consist of a number of districts working in clusters to provide a joint service for off street parking over a number of councils. Early indications from the options appraisal suggest the following cluster groups:

South Ribble, Chorley, West Lancashire and Preston Lancaster, Fylde and Wyre Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

Depending on which option is selected it will be necessary to ensure appropriate cash collection arrangements are put in place. These arrangements could be independent of any of the above options. The Team Lancashire options appraisal will help inform the best option for the Council.

2 3. Evaluation of Options

The Team Lancashire options appraisal exercise is expected to be complete by the end of May/early June. This should also coincide with the outcomes from the LCC tendering exercise being made available.

Following the availability of this data it will be possible to carry out a full evaluation of the options and determine the most suitable one for the Council.

4. The Way Forward

Once all the detail around the options being investigated by the Team Lancashire options appraisal and the LCC tendering exercise is available, it is proposed that an evaluation is carried out to determine the most suitable one for the Council. However, there will be limited time and a decision is likely to be required before the next meeting of the Cabinet in July. It is therefore proposed that the Head of Streetscene be authorised to select the most appropriate option for the future management and enforcement of the Council’s car parks, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Streetscene.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS

In the preparation of this report, consideration has been given to the impact of its proposals in all the areas listed below, and the table shows any implications in respect of each of these.

There are no financial implications at this stage arising from the report.

FINANCIAL When the detailed information is available from the LCC procurement exercise and the Team Lancashire options appraisal exercise, it will then be possible to carry out a detailed financial evaluation of the options. There are also no legal implications at this stage arising from the report.

Following the detailed evaluation and selection of an option, a legal LEGAL agreement or a number of legal agreements will need to be entered in to. There will also be a need to comply with Standing Orders for contracts and European procurement rules with regard to any future arrangements. The timescales are very short for the evaluation and selection of options and to mobilise the new arrangements. It may be necessary to provide RISK interim arrangements for a short term period whilst longer term arrangements are finalised and mobilised. Asset Management The Council’s car parks benefit from appropriate management and enforcement. OTHER (see below) Staffing, Training and Development Depending on which option is finally selected there may be staffing, training and development matters to consider.

Corporate Plans and Efficiency Savings/Value Asset Management Crime and Disorder Policies for Money Equality, Diversity and Freedom of Information/ Health and Safety Health Inequalities Community Cohesion Data Protection Implementing Electronic Staffing, Training and Human Rights Act 1998 Sustainability Government Development

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS

Cabinet report October 2008