Agenda item

The report of the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods is attached.

It was RESOLVED that

a)    the withdrawal from the Car Parking District Partnership be approved, which includes withdrawal from using the procured County services for enforcement officers and cash collection, withdrawal from managing Nottinghamshire County Council’s on-street enforcement and responsibility for deficit liability;

b)    the employment of enforcement officers be approved;

c)    the use of Broxtowe Borough Council’s cash collection service be approved; and

d)    the Executive Manager for Neighbourhoods be granted delegated authority to negotiate an agreement for the continued use of the processing unit of Nottinghamshire County Council for managing the Council’s penalty notices.

The Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods presented the report of the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods providing an update on the Car Parking County Partnership and outlined suggested recommendations for how the Council would manage its car parking provision both efficiently and cost effectively going forward, to ensure that it fulfilled its statutory obligations.

The Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods gave a brief overview of the history of the District Partnership Agreement, which the Council had been part of since 2008, and the Cabinet noted that the partnership had worked very effectively.  In 2014, under the partnership agreement, Rushcliffe had become responsible for managing the County Council’s on-street parking in the Borough, and it had been agreed that any surplus should be re-invested in the service and not passed to the Council; however, the Council would still be liable to cover any deficits. It was noted that until recently that risk had been unlikely; however, that position had now changed because of several pressures on the County Council’s on-street surplus, details of which were highlighted in the report.

The Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods confirmed that at the end of the financial year, the cost of Broxtowe Borough Council managing Rushcliffe’s on-street parking would be passed directly to Rushcliffe, at an additional charge of £20,000 per annum, rather than being covered by the County Council.  That change would lead to a doubling of the current service management fee from £21,000 to £41,000 per annum.  

The Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods advised that the County Council had asked councils in the partnership, which services they would like to continue with under the next round of procurement, and that had provided Rushcliffe with a great opportunity to review its service, in line with the Council’s governance practice for best value for money.  The report highlighted various cost savings that had been identified, including the direct employment of enforcement officers and the use of Broxtowe Borough Council’s contractor for cash collections.  It was proposed that under a separate agreement, the Council would continue to retain use of the County Council’s Central Processing Unit, which processed Rushcliffe’s penalty notices and administered the appeals process.  It was suggested that the Council could also plan for developing the enforcement role into a wider Community Warden function, to cover various roles, details of which were highlighted in the report. 

The Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods advised that it had been agreed with the County Council that Rushcliffe could withdraw from the partnership on or before June 2022.  It was reiterated that the proposed changes would provide cost savings and efficiencies going forward.

In seconding the recommendation, Councillor Brennan stated that given the proposed changes to the partnership, it was timely to review the Council’s management of its car parking provision.  The previous arrangements had worked effectively; however, it was always prudent to keep such arrangements under review, to ensure that they remained fit for purpose and provided value for money.  The proposal to directly employ enforcement officers was welcomed, as it would allow the role to be broadened out to encompass a more community ambassador type role going forward, to provide additional reassurance to residents and help to create a sense of place for all residents across the Borough.  

It was RESOLVED that

a)    the withdrawal from the Car Parking District Partnership be approved, which includes withdrawal from using the procured County services for enforcement officers and cash collection, withdrawal from managing Nottinghamshire County Council’s on-street enforcement and responsibility for deficit liability;

b)    the employment of enforcement officers be approved;

c)    the use of Broxtowe Borough Council’s cash collection service be approved; and

d)    the Executive Manager for Neighbourhoods be granted delegated authority to negotiate an agreement for the continued use of the processing unit of Nottinghamshire County Council for managing the Council’s penalty notices.