Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services), on an additional two year fixed term post created to assist Parking Services.

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) on the proposed Parking Services Resources and Work Programmes 2018-2020.  Throughout the year the Council receives many requests for parking restrictions and parking improvements via a number of different channels.  It was important to manage the public’s requests and expectations.  These requests were recorded so that they could be considered by this Panel for future work programmes. The report noted that there were currently over 500 requests of which 152 would be addressed with the current work programme.  Leaving 349 request to be considered for future work programmes.

The Council had agreed the current work programme in 2017-2018 which consisted of the following wards:

·         Handside

·         Hatfield East

·         Hatfield Central Part of Hatfield West

·         Essendon and Old Hatfield

Each of the above Wards were at different stages of the consultation process and the completion of each project was dependent on the outcome of the consultation process but at present it was highly probable that these projects would not be completed before the end of 2019-2020.

Members commented on the current list of outstanding requests from residents and discussed the parking pressures and concern within the Borough’s roads.  It was agreed that the volume of traffic using the roads and vehicles parking within the Borough had increased significantly in the past ten years.  The parking issues around the Queen Elizabeth’s II hospital were also debated in terms of impact of parking on the neighbouring streets. 

The safety of the public highway was the responsibility of Hertfordshire County Council.  Members were advised that if safety issues were reported to the Council they were guided to contact the County Councillor for the area who would raise this with their Highway Locality Officer.  Depending on the issue this may result in HCC carrying out a Safety Audit and/or the County Councillor progressing this with their Highways Locality Budget.  Otherwise Parking Services would log it for consideration for a future work programme.

The Officer expressed that it would be impossible to provide details on all the specific requests. However, all of the requests for changes fall under one or more of the topics below:

·         None-residential parking impacting on residents (Single Yellow Lines/Residents Parking Permit Scheme)

·         Junction protection – Double Yellow Lines

·         Addressing verge and pavement parking

·         Town centre/local shopping parade parking (balancing the needs of the businesses and residents) (Limited waiting/Car park)

·         Creating more parking provision, removing verge/green

The reason for a two year work programme was related to the projects being large and it was very likely that these would not be addressed in one year, therefore planning the work programme for two years would help the Council to be more transparent and realistic.

All of the requests for change will be addressed in the future, the order will be the decision of this Panel and Cabinet.

The report noted that in February 2018 the Council agreed to provide additional resource to employ an additional Parking Officer to enable Parking Services to complete the works.  It was suggested that £100,000 for two additional officers for a fixed term one year contract.  However, due to the challenges facing the Parking and Cemetery Service Manager when recruiting for a Parking Officer, there were two options for consideration.  Further consideration was given to the options and it was agreed that the Officers consider the lawfulness of ‘Recommendation 3 – The Panel recommends to Cabinet that an additional 2 year fixed term post is created to assist Parking Services’, as this negates the resolution of full Council for a one year fixed term post.  This recommendation was deferred.

            RESOLVED

1)    That due to the size of the projects and the time they can take to complete.  The Panel recommend to Cabinet, extending the work program from one year to two years 2018-2020.

2)    That the Panel recommend to Cabinet the inclusion of Peartree Ward and Hatfield car parks to be added to the 2018-2020 work programme.