First signs of madness for parking cash cow

Open and transparent parking policy?

Press and public are not allowed to see the first stages of BSE as the parking cash cow starts its descent into madness.

Press excluded from parking talks
Bucks Free Press
Wednesday 27th January 2010

THE Bucks Free Press was last night ejected from a High Wycombe Town Committee meeting as councillors discussed on-street parking tariffs.
The committee held its first meeting of the New Year at Wycombe District Council's offices in Queen Victoria Road on Tuesday night.
But members of the public and the press were excluded from the meeting under Paragraph three, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as committee members discussed parking in private.
Item 15 on the agenda was a "review of on-street parking tariffs".

Tell me this isn't fraud

I met with a certain council officer a couple of years ago and he admitted that the council BCC were aware that there were a great deal of signs and lines across the county which were non-compliant. He was concerned because the consultants who had been brought in were just tasked with identifing those which needed renewing due to maintenance issues and not compliance issues. He admitted that he had spent his weekends checking compliance.

His, and the other reports will be available. I would suggest that someone starts asking the questions. Would also suggest that the council officer I met checks his position and his conscience. A little reminder.

2 Fraud by false representation
(1) A person is in breach of this section if he—
(a) dishonestly makes a false representation, and
(b) intends, by making the representation—
(i) to make a gain for himself or another, or
(ii) to cause loss to another or to expose another to a risk of loss.
(2) A representation is false if—
(a) it is untrue or misleading, and
(b) the person making it knows that it is, or might be, untrue or misleading.
(3) “Representation” means any representation as to fact or law, including a
representation as to the state of mind of—
(a) the person making the representation, or
(b) any other person.
(4) A representation may be express or implied.
(5) For the purposes of this section a representation may be regarded as made if it (or
anything implying it) is submitted in any form to any system or device designed to
receive, convey or respond to communications (with or without human intervention).

3 Fraud by failing to disclose information
A person is in breach of this section if he—
(a) dishonestly fails to disclose to another person information which he is under a
legal duty to disclose, and
(b) intends, by failing to disclose the information—
(i) to make a gain for himself or another, or
(ii) to cause loss to another or to expose another to a risk of loss.

As the Police begin investigations into criminality across the country and cases start to be prepared for the High Court I assume it is only a matter of time before action is demanded in Marlow. Taking money to which you are not entitled is NOT a civil matter.

Council still ticketing drivers despite signs admission
Thursday 21st January 2010
By James Nadal »

PARKING fines are still being dealt out on a Marlow street – despite a council's admission that signs were wrong.

A secret filming sting by UKIP in November prompted Buckinghamshire County Council to review parking bays in Institute Road.
Although BCC acknowledged the errors motorists are still being given tickets.

Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the Free Press show there were 36 fines dished out in the first four weeks after the admission was made.

Wycombe District Council, which is responsible for enforcement, said it is “still waiting for conclusive guidance” from BCC about which bays are correctly marked.

But there was confusion after BCC said it was up to WDC, which it had not heard from.

Spokesman Richard Wells said: “As far as we're concerned all the bays are enforceable but it's Wycombe's responsibility to enforce the tickets, it's nothing to do with the county. The ball is in their court.”

An audit has taken place and new signs and lines have been ordered.
UKIP says thousands of motorists are entitled to refunds because various roads across the town have incorrectly marked bays.

Cats now preparing to leave bags in their droves

Across the country it is starting to become apparent that parking enforcement is costing councils money. If revenue is down then enforcement policy is working and therefore becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

However, it is not about keeping the streets clear and traffic moving. It is about money and the cat is out of the bag (or at least a number will be in the coming weeks).

Councillors should not be talking about 'business models' and 'making cash' and, as the High Court case Camden v Cran before Justice McCullough in 1995 reaffirmed, councils cannot use parking enforcement to raise revenue.

Too many councils have come to rely on this revenue to fill the holes in their budgets ... hence the increasing drive towards more Draconian Enforcement. I am sure that Cllr. Letheren will regret letting Bucks be the first cat out of the bag.

New parking meters will be fought, Buckinghamshire County Council boss says Wednesday 13th January 2010
By Oliver Evans

BIDS to put more parking meters in Buckinghamshire streets will be met with fierce opposition, a transport boss has warned.

Councillor Val Letheren said councils which took over traffic warden duties are struggling to make cash - but plugging the gap with new meters would face resistance.
Residents are 'very very anti' new parking meters, she warned and pointed to a successful campaign against the introduction of on street charges in Amersham old town.
Wycombe, Chiltern and Aylesbury councils, which manage wardens, are now in a 'terrible dilemma' over how to break even, she said.

The Buckinghamshire County Council transport boss said: "The business model is just not working."
Cllr Letheren, cabinet member for transportation, said: "Our attempts to change this appear to have not been very successful given what's happened in Amersham."

The problem could be tackled by getting a private firm to enforce regulations on councils' behalf, she said.
Yet Cllr Letheren said: "They wouldn't be as nice as the district ones. They might enforce signs and lines more efficiently. That is where you get the income."

She was addressing the council's 'examination of the budget and medium term plan task and finish group', which is looking into the proposed BCC budget for 2010/11.
Wycombe District Council took over warden duties in October 2008 for all the district. It has said wardens are not target driven and profits go back into the service.
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