Purpose

Procurement of back office processing systems to enable the
pursuance of Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) associated with Parking
Enforcement activities

Content

RESOLVED
 
KEY DECISION
 
That the Executive:
 

a)     
Approved the in-house processing model for the defined
elements of PCN processing.

 

b)     
Approved the amendment of budgets for 2025/26 and 2026/27,
per the business case, to establish a budget for the processing of
PCNs, noting the Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) entries for
2025/26 and 2026/27 which identifies £40,000 of processing
savings respectively.
 

c)     
Approved the procurement of defined elements of processing,
detailed within option 1.
 

d)   Delegated authority to the Assistant
Director for Assets and Environment in consultation with the
Executive Member for Highways and Travel to enter into a contract
for PCN processing.
 
 
Reason for Recommendations
– The requirement to ensure accuracy in not only the issuing,
but also the statutory compliance checks associated with PCNs is
best served and managed by an inhouse team. This will increase
accountability, reliability and accuracy of the entire process,
providing a consistent and robust process.
 
The fees associated with
outsourced processing are dependent on external factors beyond the
Council’s direct control and subject to change as part of any
contracted service provision. Significant savings can be achieved
with the inhouse provision of defined elements of the process,
reducing the financial burden on the Council.
 
Additional traffic enforcement
schemes will be incorporated within the structured staff provision.
This may lead to an increased surplus associated with enforcement
activities for reinvestment in the Highways and Environmental
Services.
 
Inhouse processing enables the
Council to have greater control of the PCN process and retain a
greater proportion of the revenue generated for reinvestment in the
Highways and Environmental Services.
 
Alternative Options Considered
– Continued contracted arrangements with external
providers, may result in increased financial pressures on the
Council due to increased provider costs and inflationary price
rises in service elements.
 
Full hosting of all elements
of the associated processing of PCNs. This carries significant
capital investment and revenue requirements. The requirement to
create, maintain and host online payment portals, incorporated
back-office systems and dedicated phone lines would impact budgets
disproportionately and create additional financial
pressures.