Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Thomas introduced the Environmental Enforcement report which sought approval to provide Kingdom with notice that the existing arrangements would end and a further report be brought back on the options available for the future provision of enforcement activities within the Council.

            A publicity campaign against Kingdom had grown significantly and an update report had been requested and submitted at a recent Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee where it was recommended that the contracted arrangement with Kingdom should end and that all enforcement activity should in future be carried out by a direct delivery service model.

            Despite the fact that the vast majority of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued by Kingdom on behalf of the Council had been paid and uncontested, there had been a number of high profile cases where the circumstances behind the issuing of tickets had been contentious.  Those small number of cases were undermining the reputation of the company and the Authority.   

The Highways Network Manager explained that a report would be submitted to Cabinet in September.  The Chief Executive said a shared service with other local authorities who were in a similar position could be explored.  It was important to maintain a zero tolerance approach and whichever service undertook the role they should be allowed to carry out their job.  Councillor Attridge supported this and said that since a zero tolerance approach had been adopted the improvement in town centres had been noticeable. 

Councillor Shotton said that work with neighbouring authorities needed to take place as soon as possible to explore a shared service to meet the concerns of the public and the comments made at the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which was supported.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committees recommendation that the current arrangement with Kingdom for the provision of low level environment enforcement, that it should end once an alternative delivery option can be established, be supported; and

(b)       That a further scoping report be submitted to Cabinet in September 2018 detailing the proposed delivery model for the service, once all of the available options have been assessed and a sustainable business model produced.  The report should also confirm the timelines for delivering the new operating model and a date for ending the current arrangement.