Parking in the county to be taken over by private contractor
SHIRE Hall bosses have sought to ease motorists' fears after announcing plans to award the contract for county-wide on-street parking enforcement to a private firm.
Gloucestershire County Council will invite bids for the contract in the coming weeks, but insists the shake-up is not a "profit-making exercise", insisting contractors will not be "incentivised" to issue tickets.
Enforcement is currently carried out on behalf of the local authority by the six district councils, all of which issue tickets and provide back office support.
The county council believes handing over the service to a contractor will lead to greater flexibility and consistency, as well as freeing up cash to be invested in parking, roads and local transport.
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Jim Daniels, parking manager at Gloucestershire County Council, said: "If someone is parking in Stroud one day and then going to Cirencester the next day, for example, they will see the same approach to parking, by the same people and in the same way.
"A single provider will improve the service for customers and save money for all councils."
However, concerns have been expressed that awarding the contract for on-street parking enforcement to a private firm could lead to job losses for Cheltenham Borough Council staff.
At the moment, CBC staff undertake enforcement in council-owned car parks as well as carrying out on-street enforcement on behalf of the county council.
If on-street provision is awarded to a private contractor, the workload of the existing staff could be reduced.
Steve Jordan, leader of Cheltenham Borough Council, said: "If there is less going on, we would probably have less people doing it. We don't know the consequences at this stage."
Parking services will still be overseen by the county council.
Councillor Chas Fellows, county council cabinet member for environment, said: "This is an opportunity to make parking enforcement more efficient – and not to turn a profit. It doesn't matter how many tickets the contractor issues, they will be paid the same amount."
A service provider is expected to be appointed by December of this year.
If everything goes to plan the new arrangements should begin in four districts in April 2013, with the exception of Gloucester and the Forest of Dean, which would adopt the new scheme on September 2014.
Comments
by Bonkim2003
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 3:49PM
“Matt1006 - Local Authority contracting skills are non-existent as they do not apply open tendering practices consistently, also given the wide range of services, lack of commercial acumen, ability to negotiate, etc, etc - easy way out mostly - most important tendering for different products/services require different technical and even contractual skills, costs /money and most LAs just don't see the importance of a competitive market place as Jo public pays the bills.”
by Bonkim2003
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 3:42PM
“Matt1006 - it may be an idea to scrap all restrictions and fines and improve civic sense of the citizen - so antisocial behaviour would be moderated naturally rather than coercion - Contractors trying to enforce such matters don't have the respect of the community and could fall foul of irate citizens.
What is wanted is to improve compliance by the willing citizen to the others enjoying their share of the communal facilities - you will find people by and large will behave.
In a free society we all can do with less government, controls, and restrictions. Given nature council employees/councillors would turn into little Hitlers at the earliest opportunity if we let them.”
by Michael_AH
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 3:16PM
“Areaman, its APCOA who deal with both on-street and off street parking in Gloucester on behalf of the city council”
by Matt1006
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 2:31PM
“Ms_Superstar. Good idea. Current arrangements for such issues are woefully inadequate, much like the current enforcement of on-street parking. Unfortunately, it might cause more problems that it solved, with the potential for confrontation between the private wardens and the "we-don't-care" minority increased somewhat, but that issue would have to be overcome somehow.
There are rules regarding litterbugs, rogue cyclists and dog foulers, and it needs somebody to take responsibility and enforce them. Maybe the next step after contracting out on-street parking enforcement will be to do likewise with these problems too. Let a private company take it all on, on a not-for-profit basis, with any money left over from the fines collected going to the local council. The only issue being that if too successful, the amount collected through reducing fines won't pay for the services, and the scheme will eventually collapse...”
by Ms_Superstar
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 2:17PM
“In fact, why not give them the power to fine litterbugs, rogue cyclists and dog foulers as well.”
by Ms_Superstar
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 1:41PM
“I have heard a lot of comments from various sources, as well as first-hand experience, that local authority parking enforcement is, to put it politely, inconsistent, with some people being harrassed after stopping perfectly legally to load and unload, while others leave their vehicle on the side of the road, or even blocking the pavement, all day with impunity.
Handing over enforcement to an unbiased outside contractor has to be an improvement. Pity the off-road parking enforcement isn't being handed over as well. The boroughs and districts have had their chance and failed.”
by Areaman
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 1:21PM
“Sandra-they do both. County pays city to enforce on-street.”
by SandraPee
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 1:10PM
“Areaman . I don't think NCP cover on- street parking .”
by Areaman
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 12:49PM
“Gloucester city have had their parking run by private company NCP for years. Nothing particularly new here.”
by Matt1006
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 12:12PM
“Bonkim2003 - so in other words, the contractors themselves will determine who gets awarded the contract? Sadly, given how procurement of such contracts has historically been undertaken, this may well be the case.
But considering the Councils will be entering into a new, never-previously-explored area when they contract out the on-street parking enforcement, you would like to think that they will do a thorough job of vetting contractors who express an interest in this - presumably due to the nature of the work, they will all be contractors not currently employed on other Council contracts. Due diligence, etc.???
Would also like to think that the police will be involved in the consultation / vetting process. I'm sure the majority of contractors who would be interested in tendering for this lucrative contract will be genuine and honest, but private parking enforcement does have a somewhat tarnished image thanks to a minority of rogue cowboy outfits - we certainly don't want them given authority to issue parking fines on the public highway. And nor will the police.”