ITEM NO:A02

DECISION-MAKER: CABINET
SUBJECT: ANNUAL PARKING REPORT FOR 2008/09
DATE OF DECISION: 7 SEPTEMBER 2009
REPORT OF: CABINET MEMBER FOR ENVIRONMENT AND
TRANSPORT
AUTHOR: Name: Ken Byng Tel: 023 8083 4622
E-mail: Ken.Byng@southampton.gov.uk

STATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY
None.

SUMMARY
On 31 March 2008, the City Council was required to change the way it carries out its
parking enforcement to comply with the Governments wish to create a more
transparent and consistent approach to civil parking enforcement throughout the
country and to be seen to be fairer to the motorist.
One of the requirements is for each enforcement authority to product an annual report
within six months of the end of each financial year. This is the second report to
cabinet under this requirement.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
(i) To approve the annual parking report in accordance with the Traffic
Management Act 2004.
REASONS FOR REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Local Authorities must have regard to the Statutory Guidance (as stipulated
by section 87 of the Traffic Management Act 2004) when exercising their
functions. These functions include developing, implementing and reviewing
their Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) regimes. This Guidance in conjunction
with the more detailed Operational Guidance (the replacement for Local
Authority Circular 1/95) sets out the framework for how CPE should be
operated.
2. Reporting is an important part of accountability. The transparency given by
regular and consistent reporting should help the public understand and accept
CPE. Monitoring also provides the authority with management information for
performance evaluation and helps to identify where it may need to improve its
CPE regime. It provides a framework for performance comparisons between
councils.
CONSULTATION
3. City Council Officers in the Democratic, Legal, Finance and Property and
Procurement Services Divisions.

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ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
4. None.
DETAIL
5. On the 31 March 2008 Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) regulations under
Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 came into force. The effect of this
in relation to Parking Enforcement was to replace the existing Decriminalised
Parking regulations by Civil Parking ones. An original report went to Cabinet
on the 18 February 2008 outlining the implications and requirements.
6. One of the main drivers for this change is to allow local authorities to
undertake other enforcement duties including moving traffic contraventions.
These will include bus lane and traffic signs and any infringements will be
dealt with under the same legislations as parking enforcement.
7. The Operational Guidance was published in March 2008, which consists of
166 pages. It sets out the policy framework within which Government believes
local authorities should be setting their parking policies and enforcing these
polices. It advises of the procedures that must be followed, the procedures to
which they must have regard and the procedures that the Government
recommends that they follow when enforcing parking restrictions.
Objectives of Civil Enforcement
8. Policy Objectives
CPE should contribute towards the authorities transport objectives, are
enforced fairly, accurately and expeditiously. Our aim should be to increase
compliance through clear, well designed, legal and enforced parking controls.
Our present parking policy has particular regard to:
• Improving road safety;
• Improving the local environment;
• Improving the quality of and accessibility of public transport;
• Meeting the needs of disabled people, including some who are unable
to use public transport and;
• Managing the competing needs for kerb side space.
9. Financial Objectives
All local authorities need to forecast revenue and expenditure in advance;
however raising revenue should not be an objective of CPE nor setting targets
for revenue or for the number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCN’s) issued. It is
expected that enforcement will be self financing.
10. Reporting
The guidance states that reporting is an important part of accountability and
that the transparency given by regular and consistent reporting should help
the public understand and accept CPE. It also states that enforcement
authorities should produce an annual report within six months of the end of
the financial year.

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11. The report should be published and as a minimum should cover financial,
statistical and any other appropriate data, including any parking or CPE
targets. It is recommended that the report is published on the authority’s
website and is widely available and it is also good practice to report on what
action is taken with regard to any surplus or loss that is made on the parking
accounts.
12. Report for 2008/9
It is proposed to issue a separate parking report which will give more in depth
detail, including financial, statistical and changes that have taken place during
the last financial year. See Appendix 1.
13. Summary of Information in the Report
• The number of Penalty Charge notices issued in 2007/08 decreased
from 56,179 in 2007/8 to 46,967 in 2008/9;
• Income from Penalty Charge Notices decreased from a total of
£1,521,193.98 in 2007/08 to £1,278,018.98 which reflects fewer
vehicles parking in the city;
• Appeals to notices continue to rise;
• Percentage of appeals going to the adjudication service continues to
fall and stands at 0.3% of all notices issued;
• The expenditure of £744,900 from the on street surplus for 2008/09 is
shown;
• Reviews to eight traffic regulation orders were undertaken;
• The commencement of investigations into parking related fraud.
FINANCIAL/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
Capital
17. None.
Revenue
18. None.
Property
19. None
Other
20. None
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
Statutory power to undertake proposals in the report:
21. Part 6 of Traffic Management Act 2004.
Other Legal Implications:
22. Where an authority makes a surplus on its on-street parking charges and on-
street and off-street enforcement activities, it must use the surplus in
accordance with the legislative restrictions in Section 55 of the Road Traffic
Regulation Act 1984 as modified by regulation 25 of the Civil Enforcement of
Parking Contraventions (England) General Regulations 2007.

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 Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998
23. This would contribute towards the City Councils duty under this act to reduce
or inhibit crime and disorder in its area.
POLICY FRAMEWORK IMPLICATIONS
24. The Southampton Local Transport Plan (LTP2) 2006 – 2011 provides the
policy for car parking management in the City.
25. The policy states that the Council intend to adopt a robust approach to the
powers provided by the new Traffic Management Act 2004 and in addition,
the Council will seek to take up enforcement of the additional offences
created by the legislation as an extension of the existing Decriminalised
Parking Enforcement (DPE) regime in the City. Particular emphasis will be
given to enforcement in bus lanes and preventing obstructions.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Appendices
1. Annual Parking Report 2008/09.
Documents In Members’ Rooms
1. None.
Background Documents
Title of Background Paper(s) Relevant Paragraph of the
Access to Information
Procedure Rules / Schedule
12A allowing document to be
Exempt/Confidential (if
applicable)
1. Department for Transport - Operational
Guidance to Local Authorties: Parking Policy
and Enforcement Traffic Management Act
2004
Background documents available for inspection at: Office of the Head of
Highways and Parking
Services
FORWARD PLAN No: ET03551 KEY DECISION? Yes
WARDS/COMMUNITIES AFFECTED: All