Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, Customer Service Centre & Employment

To note the report and delegate authority to the Executive Director of Place Services in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member to:

i) Award the contracts for Lots 1, 2 and 3 to Marston Holdings (NSL) for a total of 5 years with options for two extension periods of 2 years (5+2+2)

ii) Award the contract for Lot 4 to WISE for a total of 2 years with options for two extension periods of 1 year (2+1+1)

Cabinet considered the report relating to the award of contract for Parking Enforcement, Moving Traffic Enforcement and Environmental Enforcement.

Councillor Hill, lead member for Highways and Traffic, Customer Service Centre and Employment introduced the report explaining that this had been in progress for some time and they were picking up what the previous administration had started. He stated that none of these enforcement activities were about making money but parking enforcement was about making sure that people did the right thing at the right time, that moving traffic enforcement was about people’s safety and that environmental enforcement was about keeping the Borough clean and tidy. He advised that this was not a revenue generating paper. 

Councillor Hill explained that the procurement for the Parking & Environmental Enforcement contracts was broken down into four lots e.g.

·       Lot 1 Parking Enforcement

·       Lot 2 Compliance Management Technology and Associated Services, including PCN issue and progression, evidence review, permit management, interfaces and reporting.

·       Lot 3 Moving Traffic Enforcement which was new to the borough

·       Lot 4 Environmental enforcement services

Councillor Hill advised that the Council was looking to bring some services such as environmental enforcement services back inhouse in the future but would let this contract run.

Councillor Bermange, lead member for Planning, Legal and Asset Management thanked the legal team for looking into his questions about the governance arrangements for the contracts. He explained that when outsourcing any activities to a contractor that they take on the responsibilities, how they conduct themselves would be a reflection on the Council and he was pleased to note there were statute and existing codes of practice in place for the staff operating the services. He reflected that anecdotally there had been concerns raised about the tactics used in environmental enforcement. He noted that the contract specifically referred to the code of practice and this regulated activity would be delivered in a proportionate and consistent way.

Councillor A Tisi, lead member for Children’s Services, Education and Windsor highlighted the education side of litter enforcement and that it was important to offer tools for easy disposal. She was really pleased to see the focus on school safety and noted that one of the sites was outside Wraysbury School which was a particular area that was a traffic concern. She added that the ten sites had been identified and the traffic regulation orders had already been applied for but there was scope to extend this to other sites, other schools, which would heighten pedestrian safety.

Councillor Coe, lead member for Environmental Services commented on concerns raised previously about the Council’s ability to direct the activities of contractors and recognising that residents’ priorities may be different from those of a contractor. Councillor Hill responded that the Council was in control, able to direct enforcement officers where they wanted to and would be reviewing the moving traffic enforcement sites to refocus them on public safety.

Councillor Hill advised the meeting that the Council lost money on parking charge notices (PCNs) so wanted any residents observing the discussion to know that the Council was not using PCNs to make money but instead needed to provide the service at a cost to ensure that car parks were functioning.

Councillor Jones, Deputy Leader and lead member for Finance sought reassurance that there was a robust and fair appeals process in place for residents. In response Councillor Hill confirmed this was in place and intervention was possible by officers where there was a lack of confidence that contractors were treating residents as they should.

Councillor Price asked for clarification on the services to be brought inhouse and Councillor Hill explained that the viability of bringing the environmental services contract would be explored but the contract as proposed for a two-year term would be set to run. He added that there were currently no plans to bring the parking enforcement element of the contract in house.

Councillor K Davies, lead member for Climate Change, Biodiversity and Windsor Town Council raised residents concerns about coaches’ engines idling within the Windsor coach parks, the impact this was having on air quality and asked what actions were taken.

Neil Walter, Parking Principal explained that all enforcement team officers working within the vicinity of the coach park were tasked with asking any coach drivers with their engines idling to switch them off. He noted the impact on businesses in the area from the resulting fumes. He added that it was difficult to enforce as the team were required to give a warning initially even if on repeat occasions. The focus was on educating drivers on the impact this action was having.

Councillor Werner, Leader of the Council and lead member for Community Partnerships, Public Protection and Maidenhead asked the amended recommendations be shared.

On the proposal by Councillor Hill, lead member for Highways and Traffic, Customer Service Centre and Employment and seconded by Councillor Bermange, it was

AGREED UNANIMOUSLY: That Cabinet noted the report and delegated authority to the Executive Director of Place Services in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member to

i)               award the contracts for Lots 1 and 2 to Marston Holdings (NSL) for a total of 5 years with options for two extension periods of 2 years (5+2+2);

ii)             award the contract for Lot 3 to Marston Holdings (NSL), subject to locations being agreed in alignment with our priorities to increase pedestrian safety and improve safe routes to school, for the same term as i); and

iii)            award the contract for Lot 4 to WISE for a total of 2 years with options for two extension periods of 1 year (2+1+1)