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Title |
Parking Services – Collaborative working conclusions |
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Purpose of the report |
To note |
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Report Author |
Bruno Barbosa – Parking Services Operational Manager |
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Ward(s) Affected |
All Wards |
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Exempt |
No |
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Exemption Reason |
N/a |
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Corporate Priority |
Resilience Environment Services |
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Recommendations
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Committee is asked to: Note the report content and conclusions. |
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Reason for Recommendation |
This is a to note report only to update members on work undertaken by the parking team to explore potential collaborative working options. |
1. Summary of the report
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What is the situation |
Why we want to do something |
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• On 11/09/2023 CPRC approved a new business model based on the existing delivery model of an in-house team, and enhancing it to explore opportunities for collaborative working with other parking service providers. • Since 21/09/2022 Spelthorne have chaired a regular monthly meeting between all District Borough Parking Managers, the focus of which was the outsourcing of On Street civil enforcement by SCC, and subsequently any opportunities arising from a focus solely on Off Street civil enforcement.
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• With a significant reduction in staffing structures on or after April 2023 across all District Boroughs, it became clear that opportunities of collaboration were important to explore, as well as sharing best practice. • Significant challenges for collaborative working arose from past attempts that proved resource intensive and ultimately unfruitful, leading to lack of confidence in further similar attempts. |
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This is what we want to do about it |
These are the next steps |
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• Explore opportunities to collaborate and share best practice, but ultimately no firm opportunities have been identified, materialised or reached a stage where meaningful discussions could initiate, yet we will continue to explore future opportunities. |
• Focus on further streamlining and efficiency of the current business model, after the introduction of added resources such as a new Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) management system and a new Car Park Management system for Elmsleigh Surface and multi storey car park (EMSCP) • Keeping communication channels open with other Districts to enable future opportunities to be explored as and when they arise. |
1.1 This report seeks to inform the Committee that following the decision from Corporate Policy and Resources Committee (CPRC) on 11/09/2023, despite intensive work around engagement and exploration of opportunities with other Districts, no opportunity has materialised or is likely to materialise before the end of 2024/25.
2. Key issues
2.1 Each District has been faced with very distinct challenges and contexts, including leadership objectives. It has therefore proven difficult to find any common platform or timeframe that would enable achieving any collaborative working opportunity in the context of Parking Services that would be likely to materialise before the end of 2024/25, whilst delivering better value to all parties involved.
2.2 The following is a short summary of the different contexts presented:
(a) Some Districts have a very high income expectation so they focus mainly on keeping the large size of their parking team and sell their services to other Districts, as opposed to working collaboratively;
(b) One District already outsourced a portion of their civil enforcement structure, so they have competing interest between keeping a portion of the service in-house and outsourcing the whole of the service;
(c) Some Districts invested significant time and resources in previous attempts at collaborative working, and the lack of any tangible results from those attempts causes them to be averse to engage further.
(d) Some Districts went through significant restructure and loss of staff, are still in the process of finding the correct structure to deliver the service themselves, and are not in a position where they can engage in conversations about collaborative working under mutual benefit;
(e) Some Districts already outsourced their services to other Districts, and don’t feel there is any possibility to rescind those agreements in pursuit of an in-house model with collaborative working for mutual benefit;
(f) Some Districts have shown no interest in exploring or considering any collaborative working with another District.
2.3 It should be noted that we went to great lengths to open and maintain regular communication and engagement with all Districts, through the creation and chairing of regular Parking Manager Forum meetings, and the lack of concrete results in the endeavour for collaborative working opportunities was not through any inaction or lack of investment of time and resources.
3. Options analysis and proposal
3.1 There are no options presented as this report is to note only.
4. Financial management comments
4.1 Since there are no concrete opportunities realised and deliverable within 2024/25, there is no quantifiable financial impact to this report and findings.
5. Risk management comments
5.1 No risks identified under the context of the contents of this report.
6. Procurement comments
6.1 Not applicable.
7. Legal comments
7.1 Not applicable.
8. Other considerations
8.1 Not applicable.
9. Equality and Diversity
9.1 No impacts identified under the context of the contents of this report.
10. Sustainability/Climate Change Implications
10.1 No implications identified under the context of the contents of this report.
11. Timetable for implementation
11.1 There are no actions arising from this report, but it’s expected that by early 2025/26 the service will present a new report on service strategy.
12. Contact
12.1 b.barbosa@spelthorne,gov.uk
Background papers: Issue details - Parking Services - Business Model - Modern Council
Appendices:
None