Issue - meetings

Cabinet, at its meeting on 3 December 2020, considered a report on the formal application to the Department for Transport to implement civil parking enforcement in the district.

Cabinet resolved to support an application by Oxfordshire County Council for the introduction of a Special Enforcement Area and bus lane enforcement powers across the districts of Cherwell, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White House to provide civil parking enforcement. Cabinet also supported the proposal for Oxfordshire County Council to manage civil parking enforcement and to authorise the head of housing and environment, in consultation with the head of legal and democratic, to negotiate and enter into any formal legal agreements required between South Oxfordshire District Council and Oxfordshire County Council.

The report of the head of housing and environment, which Cabinet considered on 3 December, is attached.

RECOMMENDATION: to approve the addition of a new civil parking

enforcement scheme in the approved capital programme of £60,000 as the

council’s contribution to Oxfordshire County Council’s implementation costs,

and to approve a revenue supplementary estimate of £30,000 in the 2020/21

budget for costs to be incurred by the council. 

Mr Neville Harris had registered to address Council on this item but due to technical difficulties was unable to join the meeting. A statement from Mr Harris was circulated to all councillors prior to the meeting setting out his views.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 3 December 2020, considered the report of the head of housing and environment on the formal application to the Department for Transport to implement enforcement in the district. Cabinet resolved to support an application by Oxfordshire County Council for the introduction of a Special Enforcement Area and bus lane enforcement powers across the districts of Cherwell, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White House to provide civil parking enforcement and to support the proposal for Oxfordshire County Council to manage civil parking enforcement. Cabinet authorised the head of housing and environment, in consultation with the head of legal and democratic, to negotiate and enter into any formal legal agreements required between South Oxfordshire District Council and Oxfordshire County Council.

Council considered the recommendation of Cabinet to include the scheme in the approved capital programme.

RESOLVED:to approve the addition of a new civil parking enforcement scheme in the approved capital programme of £60,000 as the council’s contribution to Oxfordshire County Council’s implementation costs, and to approve a revenue supplementary estimate of £30,000 in the 2020/21 budget for costs to be incurred by the council. 

To consider the head of housing and environment’s report. 

Cabinet considered the head of housing and environment’s report on a proposal to introduce civil parking enforcement, being the enforcement of on-street parking regulations.  The Cabinet member introduced the report, which sought approval in principle to authorise Oxfordshire County Council to manage the enforcement in an agreement with Vale of White Horse District Council and Cherwell District Council.  The Cabinet member also reported that he had received a petition from Didcot residents seeking action on unauthorised street parking. 

A cross-council group had worked on various options, which were narrowed down to the proposal to introduce on-street parking enforcement as a joint service for all three districts, covering on-street enforcement only, but not the council’s own off-street car parks.  On-street civil parking enforcement would be carried out using the county council’s existing external provider, whereas South Oxfordshire would retain off-street car parks enforcement using its existing external provider.  This was the most cost-effective option, showing an estimated surplus to the council. 

The Cabinet member supported this proposal, Cabinet members too.  There would be a need to manage expectations.  It was expected that the primary focus of the scheme might need to be on the district’s four towns, plus Goring because of its railway station. 

There was a set up capital cost to the council of £60,000, plus an internal revenue cost of £30,000 in 2020/21.  A recommendation would be made to Council to approve this funding. 

Councillors thanked officers for their work on this project. 

RESOLVED: to

(a)      support an application by Oxfordshire County Council to the Department for Transport for the introduction of a Special Enforcement Area and bus lane enforcement powers across the districts of Cherwell, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White House to provide civil parking enforcement; 

(b)      support the proposal for Oxfordshire County Council to manage civil parking enforcement and to authorise the head of housing and environment, in consultation with the head of legal and democratic, to negotiate and enter into any formal legal agreements required between South Oxfordshire District Council, Vale of White Horse District Council and Oxfordshire County Council; and

RECOMMENDED to Council on 10 December 2020 to:

(c)       approve the addition of a new scheme in the approved capital programme of £60,000 as the council’s contribution to Oxfordshire County Council’s implementation costs, and to approve a revenue supplementary estimate of £30,000 in the 2020/21 budget for costs to be incurred by the council.