Agenda item - Staff Car Park Management Policy

(Performance Management Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-090-2009/10).

(1) That, as requested by the Joint Consultative Committee, the following principles for a revised Staff Car Park Management Policy for the Civic Offices be adopted:

(a) on-site parking will be allocated to staff in designated essential user posts including temporary or agency staff covering a vacant designated essential user post;

(b) staff will retain the right to park in the staff car parks for as long as the post retains essential user status but will lose that right if the post loses essential user status;

(c) on-site parking will be allocated to staff who regularly car share irrespective of whether they are essential users or not in specially marked bays for the purpose;

(d) on-site parking will be allocated to motor cyclists irrespective of whether they are essential users or not but only in specially marked bays for the purpose;

(e) on-site parking will be provided for cyclists irrespective of whether they are essential users or not but only in a bicycle rack provided for the purpose;

(f) arrangements to allow staff who are not essential users who may occasionally need to use their vehicle for business purposes or transport equipment or files during the working day to have temporary access to the staff car parks for a specified period;

(g) all staff of whatever rank in essential user posts who live in Epping and within walking distance of the Civic Offices not to drive to work unless they know they need to use their vehicle on that day for business purposes (walking distance is defined as within 20 minutes of the Civic Offices which broadly equates to a distance of one mile);

(h) no reserved spaces for Officers or Members;

(i) provision for blue badge holders irrespective of whether they are essential users or not;

(j) provision for short term medical requirements supported by a doctors letter or advice from the Council’s Occupational Health Advisor;

(k) existing staff based at the Civic Offices who are not in essential user posts will retain their parking rights until they leave the Council's employ;

(l) existing staff who are not in essential user posts transferring from Hemnall Street will retain their parking rights at Hemnall Street until they either leave the Council's employ or can be transferred to the Civic Offices;

(m) the practice of maintaining a waiting list of staff in non essential user posts be discontinued and the new policy be applied to those staff on the current waiting list with effect from the implementation date; and

(n) the provision of sanctions for minor breeches of the management policy to be included within the policy. More serious breeches including dishonesty and malpractice will invoke action under the Council’s Disciplinary Procedure;

(2) That, as requested by the Joint Consultative Committee, the provision and installation of a cycle rack in the underground car park be agreed with the cost to be funded from the Airwave income budget ring fenced for the benefit of staff welfare and matched funding from Essex County Council; and

(3) That, as requested by the Joint Consultative Committee, the need to upgrade the staff shower facilities be noted and be considered at its next scheduled meeting on 8 April 2010.

The Portfolio Holder for Performance Management presented a report on the proposed Staff Car Park Management Policy.

The Portfolio Holder reported that as part of the wider travel plan already agreed in principle by the Council there was a need to update and amend the management policy for the staff car parks at the Civic Offices. This would enable further initiatives such as increasing car sharing, creating better provision for cyclists and motor cyclists, improving the shower facilities at the Civic Offices to encourage more staff to cycle to work and other initiatives that may arise as part of the future development of the Travel Plan to be implemented. The principles of the policy had been discussed and endorsed by the staff representatives on the Joint Consultative Committee at its meeting held on 14 January 2010.

The Portfolio Holder confirmed that more people were allocated spaces than were available to allow for periods of absence. The policy under consideration would be implemented as soon as possible after suitable publicity. The public transport aspects of the Travel Plan were currently being investigated and a further report would be forthcoming in due course. It was clarified that there would no longer be reserved spaces for the Chairman, Leader of Council or Officers on the Management Board, and the Officers on the Joint Consultative Committee were thanked for their efforts.

Decision: