Agenda item

Consider report by Chief Roads Officer.  (Copy attached.)

With reference to paragraph 14 of the Minute of 29 June 2016, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Chief Roads Officer providing an update in relation to on-street parking and in particular reports on the findings of the town centre parking surveys.  The report explained that following the withdrawal of the traffic warden service in February 2014 there had been concern, in some quarters, that a reduced level of enforcement had led to a deterioration in parking behaviour in some town centres.  Comprehensive three day parking surveys were undertaken in 12 town centres to ascertain the extent of on-street parking issues.  Details of the surveys were appended to the report.  Analysis of the survey returns demonstrated that town centres were very busy in terms of parking and on occasions some operated at or above capacity.  In general there appeared to be reasonable observance of waiting restrictions but there were specific areas where there was greater mis-use; some of which was for prolonged periods.  Turn-over and duration of stay were positive with a high percentage of vehicles in all towns only staying for an hour or less.  Other sources, such as the Household Survey and the Annual Footfall Survey, had also been examined to help determine how the removal of traffic wardens had impacted on town centres. Feedback from the Scottish Borders Household Survey suggested that the majority of respondents did not perceive parking as a common problem, but that the level of concern had increased since previous surveys.  Analysis of the Annual Footfall Survey did not suggest that the removal of traffic wardens had had an impact on the number of pedestrians in town centres.  While Officers recognised that there were intermittent traffic management issues in some locations in the Borders, at this stage they considered that the introduction of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) would be disproportionate, unnecessary and resource as well as cost prohibitive and suggested an alternative approach of requesting increased enforcement through Police Scotland, utilising powers in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012.  Members discussed the report in detail and a Motion and 2 Amendments were made as follows:-

Councillor Edgar, seconded by Councillor Paterson, moved that recommendation 2.1(d) be removed and replaced with “To instruct the Chief Officer Roads to carry out a full public consultation on the introduction of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement, using existing parking enforcement staff and systems, to include the use of a disc-based parking system and bring a report back to Council in February 2017.”

Councillor Parker, seconded by Councillor Mitchell, moved as an amendment that the existing recommendations be replaced with the following:-

“that Council agrees:

(a)     to note the results of the parking surveys and the updated position in regard to on-street parking;

(b)     (i)      that, while commending Police Scotland on their work to date on parking enforcement, make stronger representations to enforce parking regulations, in particular in hot spots e.g. Gala, Hawick, Peebles and Selkirk, and to that end;

          (ii)      to the use of the powers provided within the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 to inform the Local Policing Plan as a mechanism for greater control of on-street parking enforcement, using a targeted approach where necessary;

          (iii)     Request that the Chief Executive and Council Leader establish a meeting at the earliest opportunity with Police Scotland to discuss improved parking enforcement, particularly in the hot spot areas identified. 

(c)     to instruct the Chief Officer Roads to establish a rolling programme of inspections to ensure that all signage and line markings in restricted parking areas are clear, visible and enforceable;

(d)     to instruct the Chief Officer Roads to investigate the costs, resource, staffing requirements and financial viability of introducing a disc-based parking system for use in restricted parking areas to assist Police Scotland in their parking enforcement role and bring back a report on such a system to Council no later than 31 January 2017, and

(e)     Subject to the outcome of that report, for a three month trial period between 1 March 2017 and 31 May 2017 implement a pilot scheme in Selkirk and Hawick to test the effectiveness of a disc based parking system in partnership with Police Scotland.”

Councillor McAteer, seconded by Councillor Marshall, moved as an amendment that the recommendations be amended by removing entirely the recommendations 2.1(b), 2.1(c) and 2.1(d) and replace with a new 2.1(b) “to instruct officers to proceed to develop a fully costed Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) Proposal that is capable of supporting an application to Scottish Ministers to seek authority for this Council to implement the management and enforcement of on-street parking.”                                                     

Councillor Edgar, seconded by Councillor Cockburn, moved that the votes be taken by roll call and this was unanimously approved.  In terms of Standing Order 42(b) it was agreed that voting be carried out in the order of firstly taking Councillor Edgar’s Motion against Councillor McAteer’s Amendment and that the winner of that vote be then taken against Councillor Parker’s Amendment.

Roll Call Votes

Councillor Edgar’s Motion received 11 votes against 6 Votes for Councillor McAteer’s Amendment and there were 13 abstentions.  Accordingly Councillor Edgar’s Motion proceeded to be put against Councillor Parker’s amendment as follows:-

Councillor Edgar’s Motion received 11 votes and Councillor Parker’s Amendment received 19 votes.  Accordingly Councillor Parker’s Amendment was approved.

DECISION

DECIDED:-

(a)     to note the results of the parking surveys and the updated position in regard to on-street parking;

(b)     (i)      that, while commending Police Scotland on their work to date on parking enforcement, make stronger representations to enforce parking regulations, in particular in hot spots e.g. Gala, Hawick, Peebles and Selkirk, and to that end;

          (ii)     to the use of the powers provided within the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 to inform the Local Policing Plan as a mechanism for greater control of on-street parking enforcement, using a targeted approach where necessary;

          (iii)    to request that the Chief Executive and Council Leader establish a meeting at the earliest opportunity with Police Scotland to discuss improved parking enforcement, particularly in the hot spot areas identified;

(c)     to instruct the Chief Officer Roads to establish a rolling programme of inspections to ensure that all signage and line markings in restricted parking areas are clear, visible and enforceable;

(d)     to instruct the Chief Officer Roads to investigate the costs, resource, staffing requirements and financial viability of introducing a disc-based parking system for use in restricted parking areas to assist Police Scotland in their parking enforcement role and bring back a report on such a system to Council no later than 31 January 2017; and

(e)     subject to the outcome of that report, for a three month trial period between 1 March 2017 and 31 May 2017, implement a pilot scheme in Selkirk and Hawick to test the effectiveness of a disc based parking system in partnership with Police Scotland.”

MEMBER

Councillor Stewart left the meeting.