The Productivity Improvement Programme (PIP) will produce three business cases which will require approval by Members, these are:

¨       Overall Council Design (Designing the Council’s Future Operating Model, which will determine the size and shape of the Council in the future and how we will standardise and simplify our processes);

¨       Procurement;

¨       Revenue Income Optimisation (RIO).

This project is a Council wide programme involving officers from across the Authority and supports the Medium Term Financial Plan and the need to achieve efficiency savings in line with Comprehensive Spending Review targets.

(i)         that the recommendations of the Transport Working Party be approved in respect of the outcome of the Parking Review identified below:

o                   clamp persistent PCN evaders who do not pay their fines – clamping to be implemented when there are over 5 outstanding fines unpaid on a vehicle;

o                   rent space to car washing and valeting services in car parks;

o                   increase the cost of parking permits for off street car parks by 10%;

o                   review seasonal tariffs in relation to non seasonal tariff rates (being developed separately, and will be advertised in accordance with good practice for implementation from 1^st January 2012);

o                   use mobile enforcement vehicles to enforce illegal parking at schools/bus stops and where necessary to improve safety;

o                   offer parking management solutions to private car park operators;

o                   differentiate off street parking charges related to location (being developed separately, and will be advertised in accordance with good practice for implementation from 1^st January 2012);

o                   review options on provision of parking charges for disabled permit holders and charge a nominal administration fee of £20 for permits at renewal;

o                   charge skip providers the on street parking charges as well as the skip licence where located on chargeable spaces;

o                   introduce more on-street parking areas (as proposed in Appendices 6 and 7), subject to evidence of return on investment and details of payback period being to the satisfaction of the Executive Head Finance, in consultation with the Executive Lead for Finance and Audit;

o                   review management options of on-street and off-street motorbike parking areas;

o                   provide additional commercial advertising hoarding space in car parks; and

o                   pay on exit options in car parks if the business case shows a return on investment within four years. Business case to be signed off by the Executive Head of Finance in consultation with the Executive Lead for Finance and Audit;

(ii)        that the advertisement of Orders be authorised, introducing paying parking places (parking meters) on highways as identified in Appendices 6 and 7 to the submitted report, subject to evidence of return on investment and details of payback period being to the satisfaction of the Executive Head of Finance, in consultation with the Executive Lead for Finance and Audit;  and

(iii)       that the Commissioner for Place and Environment be authorised, in consultation with the Executive Lead for Safer Communities and Transport, to consider any objections received and approve or reject the making of any such Orders.

To respond to the recommendations of the Transport Working Party and as part of the overall review of service areas to identify savings and to improve the management of parking on the highway leading to the efficient turn over of limited on street parking spaces.

In response to the financial challenges faced by the Council, a review of all service areas has been undertaken to improve productivity and maximise income generation.  Part of this review included reviewing current parking arrangements, including proposing additional measures for on and off street car parking services, exploiting the commercial opportunities within the parking service and the improved management of parking on the highway leading to the efficient turn-over of limited on street parking services.  The additional income generated may be used for providing and maintaining off-street car parks, plus any surplus income for supporting public passenger transport, highway improvements and environmental improvements.

The Mayor supported the recommendations of the Council made on 31 October 2011, as set out in his decision above.  At the same meeting, the Council approved the funding for the investment of new equipment and services (please see minutes of Council meeting on 31 October 2011 for further details).