Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Communities & Sustainability)

In October 2007 the Council determined that vehicles falling within Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) Band A would be exempt from parking charges. Civil Enforcement Officers use the tax disc to ascertain if the vehicle is registered as having Band A emissions and where applicable will not issue a Penalty Charge Notice. From Wednesday 1st October 2014 the paper tax disc will be abolished and will no longer need to be displayed on a vehicle windscreen.

The Executive is requested to consider the exemptions to parking charges resulting from abolition of the paper tax disc.

Officer contact: Megan Black, 0161 218 1410, megan.black@stockport.gov.uk

The Executive Councillor (Communities & Sustainability) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive Meeting to consider the implications to the Council’s parking charges policy of the Government’s abolition of the paper tax disc. The current policy provided exemptions from parking charges for cars within the Vehicle Excise Duty Emissions Band A, but with the abolition of the tax disc it would no longer be possible to verify the banding of vehicles. The report set out a number of possible options for the Executive to consider, including the removal of the exemption or the provision of discounted parking permits.

The Executive Councillor (Communities & Sustainability) reported that following discussion at the Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee he was recommending that the Executive approve the ‘No Change’ option in the report that would allow Band A vehicle owners to purchase an annual parking permit for £10.

RESOLVED – That following the abolition of the paper car tax disc the exemptions contained in the Council’s parking charges policy be retained for those with Vehicle Excise Duty Emissions Band A vehicles and a valid tax disc, and that owners of new Band A vehicles be able to apply for an annual discounted parking permit at a charge of £10, and that the system be reviewed after 6 months of operation.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration.

The report considers the exemptions to parking charges resulting from the abolition of the paper tax disc.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comments on the options before the final decision is taken by the Executive at its meeting on 30 September 2014.

Officer Contact: Megan Black on 0161 218 1410 or email: megan.black@stockport.gov.uk

(NOTE: The Chair was of the opinion that this item, although not included on the agenda, should be considered as a matter of urgency in accordance with Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 in order that the Scrutiny Committee’s comments  on the exemptions to parking charges could be considered by the Executive at its meeting on 30 September 2014, prior to the abolition of the paper tax disc on 1 October 2014 when it would no longer need to be displayed on vehicles windscreens.

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Scrutiny Committee to consider the exemptions to parking charges resulting from the abolition of the paper tax disc, prior to the decision being taken by the Executive on 30 September 2014.

In October 2007 the Council had determined that vehicles falling within Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) Emissions Band A would be exempt from parking charges. The exemption applied in on and off street parking places operated by the Council throughout the borough in respect of vehicles having exhaust emissions below 100g/km. Civil Enforcement Officers used the tax disc to ascertain if the vehicle was registered as having Band A emissions and where applicable will not issue a Penalty Charge Notice. From 1 October 2014 the paper tax would be abolished and would no longer be required to be displayed on vehicle windscreens and therefore the Council would no longer be able to use the tax disc to ascertain if a vehicle was registered as having Band A emissions and therefore qualify for free parking.

The report set out three options:-

·         Remove the current exemptions to parking charges.

·         Amend the current exemptions to parking charges – to only apply to vehicles registered with the Greater Manchester Electric Vehicle Scheme.

·         Offer Band A vehicles a 5% discount on Contract Permit Charges

The Chair reported that the Branch Secretary of UNISON Stockport Local Government Branch had written to Members of the Scrutiny Committee expressing concerns regarding the three options following receipt of a large number of representations from his members.

The Corporate Director circulated a sheet at the meeting proposing an additional option of ‘No Change’ for new vehicles where a paper tax disc would not be supplied and owners of Band A vehicles could print out (from the Government’s vehicle enquiry website) their vehicle details and leave a copy of this in their dashboard to prove emission levels. Alternatively, a fraud proof system could be implemented for the owners of Band A vehicles who would be required to pay for an annual permit at a cost of £10. This figure incorporated the work required to process an application and issue a permit. If this option was supported, it was recommended that this system be reviewed after six months of operation.

RESOLVED – That the Executive be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the option of ‘No Change’, but that the owners of Band A vehicles be required to pay for an annual permit at a cost of £10; this system to be reviewed after six months of operation.