Nwicker60
03-Dec-13, 18:05
Eleventh hour bid by Highland MSP in meeting with police chief
Following the announcement that Police Scotland were no longer going to fund and manage Traffic Wardens across Scotland, Highlands & Islands MSP Rhoda Grant has been involved in talks with Police Scotland. On Wednesday 27 November 2013, Rhoda Grant met the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Sir Stephen House, in Stirling to explore the issues that have been raised by people in the Highlands.
Speaking earlier today Rhoda Grant said “I asked for a face to face meeting with Sir Stephen House to discuss the whole issue of Traffic Wardens throughout the Highlands & Islands. I am grateful to him for meeting with me and engaging in a dialogue around this issue. I made it clear to Sir Stephen House that there was not the same opportunity for Local Authorities throughout the Highlands & Islands to, in effect ‘self-fund’, the Traffic Wardens through the funding sourced from the parking fines. That is notwithstanding the fact that the policy of funding the service through fines, were this possible, would in itself have a major impact on how parking and traffic flows were managed in the future. This is a really big issues for communities, high streets, shopping and commercial areas and those who live and work in or around areas of potential congestion.
Rhoda Grant continued “In the larger urban areas of Scotland the local Authorities can and do source substantial funding income from parking fines. To be fair to the Chief Constable he recognised this fact and agreed after discussion that Police Scotland would fund 50% of the Traffic Warden budget for a period up to 18 months if the Highlands and Islands Local Authorities picked up the other 50%”. She went on “This to me would appear to be a movement from the Chief Constable, but I am concerned that Local Authorities will not have that funding available within already severely stretched budgets for the provision of a service which has not been their responsibility.
“It is clear that there is an urgent need for meaningful consultation between all the parties concerned to allow savings to be made, a longer term sustainable solution to be agreed, costed and a funding package to be put in place to pay for it”
To that end I have written today (3/12/13) to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, John Swinney MSP, to ask him if the Government will provide the matched funding required to give Highlands and Islands Local Authorities and the Scottish Government the time to review funding of this service”.
Rhoda Grant concluded “ We read in the local press that there will be mayhem across the Highlands & Islands with drivers engaging in a parking free for all. I would hope that this is unlikely to happen because as it stands we still have some Traffic Wardens on our streets, at least until the end of the year. However, unless we can secure the match funding required then this service will no longer be available and we will then have to rely on the Police who will deal with obstructions and the more serious parking infringements. I am hopeful now that we have had this move from the Chief Constable that some arrangement can be achieved that will allow time for an agreed sustainable."
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Following the announcement that Police Scotland were no longer going to fund and manage Traffic Wardens across Scotland, Highlands & Islands MSP Rhoda Grant has been involved in talks with Police Scotland. On Wednesday 27 November 2013, Rhoda Grant met the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Sir Stephen House, in Stirling to explore the issues that have been raised by people in the Highlands.
Speaking earlier today Rhoda Grant said “I asked for a face to face meeting with Sir Stephen House to discuss the whole issue of Traffic Wardens throughout the Highlands & Islands. I am grateful to him for meeting with me and engaging in a dialogue around this issue. I made it clear to Sir Stephen House that there was not the same opportunity for Local Authorities throughout the Highlands & Islands to, in effect ‘self-fund’, the Traffic Wardens through the funding sourced from the parking fines. That is notwithstanding the fact that the policy of funding the service through fines, were this possible, would in itself have a major impact on how parking and traffic flows were managed in the future. This is a really big issues for communities, high streets, shopping and commercial areas and those who live and work in or around areas of potential congestion.
Rhoda Grant continued “In the larger urban areas of Scotland the local Authorities can and do source substantial funding income from parking fines. To be fair to the Chief Constable he recognised this fact and agreed after discussion that Police Scotland would fund 50% of the Traffic Warden budget for a period up to 18 months if the Highlands and Islands Local Authorities picked up the other 50%”. She went on “This to me would appear to be a movement from the Chief Constable, but I am concerned that Local Authorities will not have that funding available within already severely stretched budgets for the provision of a service which has not been their responsibility.
“It is clear that there is an urgent need for meaningful consultation between all the parties concerned to allow savings to be made, a longer term sustainable solution to be agreed, costed and a funding package to be put in place to pay for it”
To that end I have written today (3/12/13) to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, John Swinney MSP, to ask him if the Government will provide the matched funding required to give Highlands and Islands Local Authorities and the Scottish Government the time to review funding of this service”.
Rhoda Grant concluded “ We read in the local press that there will be mayhem across the Highlands & Islands with drivers engaging in a parking free for all. I would hope that this is unlikely to happen because as it stands we still have some Traffic Wardens on our streets, at least until the end of the year. However, unless we can secure the match funding required then this service will no longer be available and we will then have to rely on the Police who will deal with obstructions and the more serious parking infringements. I am hopeful now that we have had this move from the Chief Constable that some arrangement can be achieved that will allow time for an agreed sustainable."
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