Issue - meetings

This report advises Members of the implications for parking services of Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 and asks them to decide on the level of the penalties that the Council will charge following implementation of Part 6, on 31 March 2008.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the contents of the report be noted.

                        (ii)        That Band 2, the higher rate, be adopted as the penalty charge rate to operate in the City of York area from 31 March 2008.

REASON:      This rate is considered to be consistent with a high level of public acceptability and compliance, and is likely to provide a self-financing system.

                        (iii)       That the Council review its policy on CRB checks, including for existing staff members in sensitive roles.

REASON:      To ensure a consistent policy.

Members considered a report which advised them of the implications for parking services of Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 and asked them to decide on the level of the penalties to be charged by the Council following implementation of Part 6, on 31 March 2008.

Part 6 of the Act replaced Part II and Schedule 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1991 and provided for the civil enforcement of most parking contraventions.  It also introduced the concept of differential penalty charges, allowed PCNs to be issued by post in certain circumstances and made changes to the administrative procedures involved in the processing of PCNs.

The differential charges meant that a higher charge would be made for those contraventions that caused the most disruption and danger to other road users.  Local Authorities had the option to decide whether the higher and lower rates for their area should be set at ‘Band 1’ or ‘Band 2’, as follows:

It was recommended that Band 2 be chosen, in compliance with government guidance that local authorities select the band that would encourage compliance with the regulations, maintain public acceptability and produce a self-financing system of civil enforcement.  It was noted that the Statutory Guidance also recommended that applicants for the post of Civil Enforcement Officer (the new name for Parking Attendants) should undergo Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks, as they would work near schools.

Having noted the comments of the Shadow Executive, it was

RESOLVED: (i)         That the contents of the report be noted.

                        (ii)        That Band 2, the higher rate, be adopted as the penalty charge rate to operate in the City of York area from 31 March 2008.¹

REASON:      This rate is considered to be consistent with a high level of public acceptability and compliance, and is likely to provide a self-financing system.

                        (iii)       That the Council review its policy on CRB checks, including for existing staff members in sensitive roles.²

REASON:      To ensure a consistent policy.