Rother District Council s5

Rother District Council Agenda Item:

Report to - Cabinet Date - 21 June 2004 Report of the - Director of Services Subject - Operation Crackdown – Abandoned Vehicles

Recommendation: It be RESOLVED that the Chief Executive be authorised to enter into agreement with Sussex Police to participate in Operation Crackdown for a three year period from 2004-2007.

This report supports the Key Aims of Safeguarding Health and Public Safety, Protecting and Enhancing the Built and Natural Environment and Improving Service Performance in a Cost Effective Way.

Lead Cabinet Members: Councillor Clements, Kentfield and Gubby Head of Service: Alwyn Roebuck

Introduction

1. Approximately eighteen months ago a dedicated e-mail link was established between the Council and the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to enable us to obtain information from that Agency to assist in processing abandoned vehicles and securing their removal more swiftly.

2. Our turnaround time for removal of vehicles has been reduced using this DVLA link from 21 days to 10 working days depending upon the status of the vehicle, operational constraints and quality of information received from DVLA; (this is only as good as the quality of information provided to them by the public).

Operation Crackdown

3. Operation Crackdown was the original pilot name for an abandoned vehicle project that commenced in West Sussex between the Police and a number of local authorities. The purpose of the project was to determine a method for the swift removal of abandoned vehicles in public places through partnership working, sharing information, as well as the ability of the public to report abandoned vehicles on-line. Since September 2001 the project has managed the removal of over 2400 vehicles and has received over 500 on-line reports. Currently the project provides reporting links on 12 Local Authority web sites.

4. Having participated in and reviewed Operation Crackdown over the pilot stages Sussex Police has set up a permanent scheme on a pan East and West Sussex basis with Partners participating from Sussex Police, Waste Collection and Waste Disposal Authorities, Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, Drive Vehicle Licensing Agency, Fire Brigade and The Public.

The project is the first of its kind in the UK and is supported by the Home Office. cb040621 – Operation Crackdown -1- Version No. 1 5. The principle of the scheme is that Police Powers are used to authorise removal of vehicles. This avoids the need to affix removal notices to a vehicle and reduces administrative delay, and, as a result, reduces the amount of time a vehicle remains on the street. It is a secure I.T. system that enables all Partner agencies receiving information on an abandoned vehicle to share that information on an electronic Information Hub. This allows all agencies to take rapid action on an abandoned vehicle and to gain Police authority for its removal without delay. It also avoids duplication of work by partners.

6. A report of an abandoned vehicle can be made by the public, Police or local authority by telephone, post or e-mail and is entered on the central Police information hub. The Police carry out the relevant checks keeping the hub up to date reporting the vehicle location, condition and keeper.

On receipt of this information the local authority will inspect the vehicle and advise on its condition etc. and seek Police authority to remove. If approved the vehicle can be removed swiftly. The benefits of this initiative are set out in Appendix 1.

Financial Implications

7. The overall cost of running the project is estimated at £83,000 per year and split as follows; Maintenance of infrastructure £33,000, Admin. Support £17,000, IT development and support costs £33,000.

Commitment has been forthcoming from the Sussex Police, to the scheme, to contribute £30,000. The County Council’s including Brighton and Hove have committed to £11,000 each with East Sussex and West Sussex Fire Brigades each contributing £1,000. The Fire Brigades are seeking additional funding from other sources.

8. The outstanding sum is funded by participating District and Borough Councils and to ensure the overall cost of the project is covered, this has been estimated at £3,000 per year, inflated at 2.5% per year for 3 years and will be met from saving in this financial year.

9. Participation in the scheme will reduce the number of visits made to a vehicle by our inspectors. Although this may not result in direct financial benefits, the time recovered by our Contract Compliance Officers could for example, be used for additional car park regulation enforcement and this could result in a proportionate increase in income on this activity.

10. As vehicles will now be removed under Police powers not the provisions of the Refuse Disposal Amenity Act this authority will no longer be able to recover costs from identified owners. This will result in a potential loss of income of £2,300 per annum. Total cost of this scheme will need to be met from efficiencies and reduced levels of service in other areas of the Council’s provision.

cb040621 – Operation Crackdown -2- Version No. 1 Observations

11. Operation Crackdown was initially set up in Rother on the basis of a free trial and has successfully displayed considerable benefits where vehicles can be removed quickly under agency powers.

12. Partner benefits are through increased efficiencies at all stages throughout the procedure resulting in rapid vehicle removal, but with a reduced input of Council Officers’ time. However, there are significant intangible benefits such as quality of life, a more pleasant appearance to the District, reduction in crime and fear of crime. Perhaps the areas where the hard financial benefits can be clearly identified are in dealing with burnouts. Swift removal prior to a vehicle being burnt out avoids the need to repair fire damaged carriageways etc, and to call out the Fire Brigade to deal with an unnecessary incident and costs associated with damage to local authority land all be reduced into meeting the above costs.

13. Removal of vehicles would continue to be through the current contractor and costs will continue at current levels i.e. £30 per car.

Anthony Leonard Director of Services

Risk Assessment Statement The longer a vehicle is left “abandoned” the greater the likelihood that it becomes a hazard through vandalism, arson, etc. Reducing the time to secure removal of an abandoned vehicle reduces the risk of a vehicle becoming a hazard.

Operation Crackdown also transfers the risk of wrongful disposal from this Council to the Police Authority.

cb040621 – Operation Crackdown -3- Version No. 1 Appendix 1

Principal Benefits of Operation Crackdown

These have been identified as:-

 Efficiency savings – such as - avoidance of duplication - targeted removal creates cost reduction - reduced level of attendance as inspector visits fewer times  Improves public confidence with speedier removal and reduces factors that stimulate a fear of crime  Partnership working – a good example of a multi-agency operation, with agencies working closely to meet strategic objectives  Multiple reporting channels – via the Internet, phone or e-mail  Efficient Removal and Disposal of Vehicles – rapid identification enables quick removal thus reducing levels of vehicle related crime, including arson and vandalism

Partner Benefits, Summary

These may be summarised thus:

 Measures for tackling abandoned vehicles are an important feature of district plans and key priority e.g. Crime Reduction Strategy  The need for multiple reporting from the public is reduced  Multiple reporting channels enables a wide variety of reporting forms  Operation Crackdown supports various other initiatives e.g. Modernisation of Local Government, Implementing E-Government with regard to electronic service delivery  Swift removal of vehicles promotes cleaner streets and reduces damage to the highway  Graffiti, fly-tipping, vandalism and general anti-social behaviour can potentially be reduced through co-ordination between the partnership and community safety strategies  The Information Hub will provide an auditable system which holds a digital image of the vehicle condition and enables sound decision making to take place remotely  Management information and statistics provide evidence of meeting CPA targets and assist with returns on waste surveys  The removal of derelict and abandoned vehicles supported the West Sussex Fire Brigade target of reducing arson by 5%. Operation Crackdown provided a simple system for WSFB to visit known hot spots and initiate removal of an abandoned vehicle, reducing the possibility of it being set on fire  The liability for wrongful removal lies with Sussex Police, not the waste collection authority (Rother District Council). The Police manage the claims procedure which is comprehensive and requires the claimant to provide proof of ownership  Crackdown helps to identify stolen vehicles and to reduce levels of vehicle related crime, such as driving whilst uninsured, without tax, etc.  The Information Hub enables a vehicle reported more than once, but in different locations to be identified as untaxed, but still in use, and cb040621 – Operation Crackdown -4- Version No. 1 therefore not abandoned. This reduces the number of visits needed by an inspector  The overall cost of disposing of a whole vehicle is less than that of disposing of a burn out.

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