Issue - items at meetings - Response to the Residents Parking Scrutiny Report

The Corporate Director of Economy & Place to present a report which reflects on the recommendations made by the Resident Parking Scrutiny Review Task Group on 5 March 2019, and explores opportunities to implement further service improvements through online services and virtualisation.

Resolved: (i) That the progress made in streamlining the process of extending the existing residents’ parking zones be noted.

Reason: To confirm that the implementation of residents’ parking schemes is being expedited, in line with the recommendations in the scrutiny report.

(ii) That officers be asked to implement options that allow residents to purchase shorter term permits, or develop pay-monthly options.

Reason: To help customers to spread the cost of permits, in line with the scrutiny recommendations.

(iii) That the progress made in recruiting additional staff to process applications for new residents’ parking zones be noted.

Reason: To confirm that the implementation of residents’ parking schemes is being expedited, in line with the recommendations in the scrutiny report.

(iv) That the procurement of a new parking system that will introduce online self-service for customers, to become the principal channel for online application and payment for parking permits and visitor vouchers, for same-day online payment for parking tickets, and to automate the requirement for evidence, be noted.

Reason: To confirm that the customer experience is being improved, in line with the scrutiny recommendations.

(v) That approval be given to implement paperless virtual parking permits, starting with residents’ parking permits, season tickets and visitor permits and rolling out across all permits over time, supported by a compliant checking system to allow residents to see whether a vehicle is authorised to park in a residents’ parking zone, and with each implementation to be subject to a separate decision by the Executive Member for Transport.

Reason: To improve the efficiency of the parking service, in line with the scrutiny recommendations.

(vi) That approval be given to move towards cashless parking by:

a) rolling out the Pay By App/Phone Service to on-street parking machines to allow customers to pay for their parking by phone;

b) in line with corporate policy, no longer accepting cash in council offices for parking permits and requiring all penalty charge notice (PCN) cash payments to be made through an external service (the same as for Council Tax, where the resident does not pay more for this service);

c) piloting the provision of a cashless system in Marygate car park, subject to the integration of permits (e.g. Minster Badge and season tickets) into the Pay on Exit technology;

d) reporting back to the Executive Member for Transport in one year’s time, with a view to rolling out cashless parking across the parking estate.

Reason: To respond positively to the March 2019 scrutiny report and its recommendations around efficiency.

The Assistant Director of Transport, Highways & Environment presented a report which reflected on the recommendations made by the Residents’ Priority Parking Scheme (Respark) Scrutiny Review Task Group in March 2019 (agreed by Executive on 18 March; Minute 133 of that meeting refers) and explored opportunities to implement further service improvements through online services and virtualisation.

The report was a response to the recommendations for officers to review and investigate a number of matters relating to Respark zones and permits, as set out in the original report of the Task Group attached at Annex A. Progress to date on each of the 7 recommendations was set out in paragraphs 50-66 of the report; proposals for further development were detailed in paragraphs 67-75. Officers confirmed that, while moving towards more online delivery, they would ensure that customers who did not use the internet still had access to services.

A document indicating the current progress of Respark schemes on the waiting list was circulated to Members at the meeting.