Agenda and minutes

The Panel noted that Councillor Ms S Stavrou was substituting for Councillor J Demetriou.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

No declaration of interest were reported pursuant to the Council’s Code of Conduct.

Attached.

The minutes for 17 October 2006 were agreed subject to the addition of apologies for absence for Councillor D Stallan.

Attached

Noted that:

• The report on free Saturday parking was to go to the next Cabinet meeting;
• Feedback on the car parking enforcement contract to be given at this meeting;
• To bring a report on anti-social behaviour to the Panel at a later date;
• Town Centres in general will need to be considered at some point, the Head of Planning and Economic Development to be consulted on this and a report produced;
• Report on the redevelopment of Council Car Parks to the next meeting;

Colin Crudgington informed the meeting that the work to install lighting and CCTV in the Cottis Lane car park (Epping) to monitor and gather evidence is progressing well and should be completed by the end of November.

(Head of Environmental Services). To consider the attached report.

The Panel noted that the consultants due to attend the meeting were unavoidably delayed and would not now attend the meeting.

The Head of Environmental Services took the Panel through the recommendations made at their last meeting to confirm that they were comfortable with them.

The Panel confirmed their agreement with:

• Recommendation 1, ‘that the British Parking associations contracts be used for the new agreement’;
• Recommendation 2, ‘that the contract be awarded on the basis of 60% quality and 40% price’;
• Recommendation 3, ‘that an approach be made to Essex County Council to discuss whether they would be prepared to fund a remedial service for the rectification of lines and sign faults and extent of this service’ – it was reported that the Harlow area manager had been approached about this and was in principle happy for EFDC to have this, although it will need a change in the Agency Agreement to enable us to do this, and we will need to use an approved contractor;
• Recommendation 4, ‘that the contract include provision for a Parking Shop to include accommodation for the Parking Side of the operation’; and
• Recommendation 5, ‘that the process for responding to challenges be transferred to the client side when the existing contract expires and that an additional client side post be created’.

The Head of Environmental Services reported that the consultation on parking enforcement had just ended, but the figures had not been collated as yet. Initial findings indicated that there was a need look at the equality between town centre parking and rural areas in terms of line enforcement and pavement parking. There also needs to be a balance between on street and off street enforcement, with a bias towards on street parking as they have the potential to cause the most disruption.

It was noted that the officers would like to extend the lead in time for the contractors from 2 to 3 months, with all tendering completed by July 2007.

The Panel agreed that the next meeting should be held on Tuesday 28 November 2006 starting at 7.30pm