FOI Request - Decriminalised Parking Enforcement

Request 101003373265

1. Has Moray council ever voted on obtaining DPE (decriminalised parking enforcement) powers)? If yes please provide vote results and minutes from any related meetings.

2. Any meeting minutes, draft plans or actual polices that relate to parking enforcement within Moray, excluding council run carparks.

3. When does Moray Council plan to ask for DPE (decriminalised parking enforcement) powers that will allow the council to enforce parking restrictions within Moray instead of ignoring the issue?
If Moray council has no intention to obtain these powers, please explain to your constituents why you have chosen not to be able to enforce parking restrictions?

4. Why has Moray Council chosen not to do this to date? Despite almost every other council in Scotland already having such powers or in the process of obtaining them.

Response 30-08-2023

1. This information is published on the Moray Council website and is therefore exempt under section 25 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, information otherwise accessible. For ease of reference please find links to the report and minute from the meeting when Decriminalised Parking Enforcement was last discussed by Moray Council here:  http://www.moray.gov.uk/minutes/data/XP20171204/3a.%20Appendix%201%20-%20Car%20Park%20Strategy%20Committee%20Report.pdf http://www.moray.gov.uk/minutes/data/DC20171031M0.pdf

2. See response to Question 1.

3. The enforcement of on-street parking is the responsibility of Police Scotland. Council Officers meet regularly with colleagues in Police Scotland to discuss priorities and issues relating to enforcement.

4. DPE is both a policy and a financial matter, however following previous consideration it was decided that Moray Council would not pursue this in common with a number of rural and island local authorities where establishing the business case on the basis that expected ongoing income from parking charges and penalty charge notices is unlikely to cover the increased resourcing to enforce and maintain.  Approximately one third of Scottish local authorities have not taken on parking enforcement powers, these are principally rural authorities, where - like Moray - a positive sustainable financial case has not been identified https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/50852/decriminalised-parking-enforcement-income-and-expenditure-2020-to-2021-revised-report-21-december-2021.pdf