Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Economic Development & Regeneration)

The report describes the review of the parking service undertaken in 2011/12 which included the development of a parking strategy, the soft market testing process and independent audit and its recommendations.

The Executive is invited to agree that:

·         A mixed approach to service delivery is used for the provision of Car Parking services. That enforcement should be retained in-house, as should the external provision of the cash collection function and that opportunities for collaboration in the delivery of the back office and the external provision of cash collection should be investigated.

·         Improvements to the service by: Pay By Phone and local trader cash back schemes are implemented.

·         On-going regeneration work in the Town Centre and the complexity of developments in and around the Town Centre car parking portfolio indicate that it is not appropriate at this stage to seek a private sector partner for this element of work. This will however be reviewed in two years’ time.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson, 0161 474 4351, sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

The Executive Councillor (Economic Development & Regeneration) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive Meeting to consider the outcomes of a review of the parking service, including soft market testing of opportunities for partnering arrangements with external providers for the provision of the public car parking service.

RESOLVED – That

·         a mixed approach to service delivery for the provision of Car Parking Services, including the retention of in-house enforcement, the external provision of the cash collection function be progressed;

·         opportunities for collaboration in the delivery of the back office and the external provision of the cash collection be investigated;

·         a Pay by Mobile Phone system be implemented;

·         the investigation of local “cash back” systems for parking where supported by Traders’ Partnerships be implemented;

·         the regeneration work and complexities of developments in and around the Town Centre and the car parking portfolio in this location indicate that seeking a private sector partner for this work would not be appropriate but that this be reviewed in two years’ time.