Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Car Park Pay & Display Machines Upgrades - RELEASE NO 1
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Democratic Services Location: Phase II Ext: 0185 DDI: 01895 250185 CMD No: 433 To: COUNCILLOR JOHN RILEY CABINET MEMBER FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRANSPORT COUNCILLOR MARTIN GODDARD CABINET MEMBER FOR FINANCE c.c. All Members of the Public Safety & Transport Select Committee c.c.Roy Clark – Place Directorate c.c. Perry Scott – Corporate Director of Place c.c. Conservative and Labour Group Offices (inspectioN copy) Date: 15 March 2022 Non-Key Decision request Form D Car Park Pay & Display Machines Upgrades - RELEASE NO 1 Dear Cabinet Member Attached is a report requesting that a decision be made by you as an individual Cabinet Member. Democratic Services confirm that this is not a key decision, as such the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 notice period does not apply. You should take a decision on or after Wednesday 23 March 2022 in order to meet Constitutional requirements about publication of decisions that are to be made. You may wish to discuss the report with the Corporate Director before it is made. Please indicate your decision on the duplicate memo supplied, and return it to me when you have made your decision. I will then arrange for the formal notice of decision to be published. Liz Penny Democratic Services Officer Title of Report: Car Park Pay & Display Machines Upgrades - RELEASE NO 1 Decision made: Reasons for your decision: (e.g. as stated in report) Alternatives considered and rejected: (e.g. as stated in report) Signed ………………………………………………………Date…………………….. Cabinet Member for Public Safety & Transport / Cabinet Member for Finance Capital Release Report – 15 March 2022 Page 1 (Part 1 - Public) CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (March 2022) DEPARTMENT: RESIDENTS SERVICES SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Car Park Pay & Display Machines Upgrades RELEASE NO: 1 Cabinet Members Councillor Martin Goddard Councillor John Riley Cabinet Portfolios Cabinet Member for Finance Cabinet Member for Public Safety and Transport Officer Contact Roy Clark, Parking Services Manager, Place Directorate Papers with report Appendix A with capital release requests for approval HEADLINES Summary To seek Cabinet Member approval for the release of capital funds for electrical and solar power conversion works to Pay and Display Parking Machines. Putting our Residents First This report supports the following Council objectives of: Our Natural Environment and Strong financial management. Financial Cost This report seeks the release of £34,625 from the 2021/22 Car Park Pay & Display Machines Replacement budget. The project is due to be completed by April 2022. Relevant Select Committee Public Safety and Transport Select Committee Ward(s) affected All RECOMMENDATION That the Cabinet Member for Finance and the Cabinet Member for Public Safety and Transport agree to the following capital release request of £34,625 for the upgrades to the Car Park Pay & Display Machines from the 2021/22 Car Park Pay & Display Replacement budget (Appendix A). Capital Release Report – 15 March 2022 Page 2 (Part 1 - Public) Reasons for recommendation The proposals set out ensure that all the electrical works required for the new Pay & Display machines are undertaken safely by the Council’s term contractor and do not affect the operation of the street lighting power network. The installation of the new P&D machines will require the relocation of some of the existing street furniture as well as the replacement of some signs/signposts to ensure that they continue to meet the legal requirements for parking restriction signs. Alternative options considered All the P&D machines requiring mains connections could have been converted to work exclusively from solar power, but this is not recommended as mains power is only utilised at 29 of the 273 sites, due to the extremely high usage levels at some sites. In high usage sites, the use of solar power could cause the machine to fail at times as it could not meet the power requirements of processing the high level of transactions. It would also result in longer term maintenance costs as the solar batteries would have to be removed and recharged from time to time. The machines could have been installed in the same location as the old machines so that the signs and signposts did not need to be moved but this would have delayed the project and resulted in a los s of income/service as the P&D machines would not be operating for approximately 5 working days during the installation works. Select Committee comments None at this stage. SUPPORTING INFORMATION 1. Following a tendering exercise, on 23 July 2020 Cabinet approved the award of a contract to Flowbird Smart City UK Limited (Flowbird) for the Provision of the Supply, Installation and Maintenance of Pay & Display (P&D) parking payment equipment to the Lond on Borough of Hillingdon for a five-year period from July 2020. 2. The contract was exchanged with Flowbird and a formal purchase order issued to them on 14 September 2020 to replace the existing 273 no. Pay and Display machines with new machines that accept credit and debit payment cards in addition to cash. 3. The ability to be able to utilise the Council's Hillingdon First card, which was introduced by the Cabinet in 2009, to trigger differential parking rates for residents was a crucial element of the service and the new machines were required to continue to operate preferential rates for residents that use their Hillingdon First card. Capital Release Report – 15 March 2022 Page 3 (Part 1 - Public) 4. A total of 49 no. of the new P&D machines were due to operate on mains power because of the high usage experienced at some sites and the need for additional power due to processing card payments. 5. During the implementation stage, officers worked with Flowbird on accelerating the installation programme so that it was completed before the first weekend of December 2020 in order that the Council could, once again, operate its free parking initiative for residents in the lead-up to Christmas. 6. However, difficulties arose in disconnecting the older P&D mains machines as anti-theft works that have previously been installed restricted access into the power vault area and these works were suspended until this matter could be investigated in conjunction with the Council’s term contractor for Highways electrical works, M cCanns, so as not affect service delivery. When these old machines are disconnected, some of the adjacent parking signs and signposts will also need to be relocated. 7. Additionally, as many of the existing mains power machines are linked to the Council’s street lighting power network, it was also proposed to use McCanns to undertake these works as they are responsible for the safe operation of the street lighting power network. As an interim measure, to ensure that the installation programme was not delayed, 18 of the mains machines were fitted with removable batteries which the car parks team monitor to ensure that no machines fail due to low power issues. 8. Solar charging improvements introduced by Flowbird at that time have subsequently demonstrated that 17 of the 18 proposed mains machines no longer need to be connected to the mains and can operate fully on solar power. It is proposed, therefore, to convert these machines so that they work fully on solar power in the future. 9. Two of the older P&D machines are still in use at New Year's Green Lane civic amenity site which are linked to barriers and allow residents to access the site free of charge by using their Hillingdon First card. As the older machines will not be able to access Hillingdon First data in the near future, it is proposed to replace these machines with new Flowbird P&D machines. Costs The cost plan to undertake these works can be found in Table 1. Costs include all internal fees and project contingency. Table 1: Cost Plan Description £ Solar Power Conversion Works 15,775 Electrical Connection / Disconnection Works 4,723 New P&D Machines 9,600 New Signs 600 Internal Engineers Fees 779 Project Contingency 3,148 Total £34,625 Capital Release Report – 15 March 2022 Page 4 (Part 1 - Public) Financial Implications Car Park Pay & Display Machines Replacement 2021/22 Budget £35k; Previously Released Nil, Capital Release Requested £35k – Appendix A The 2021/22 revised capital programme includes a budget of £35k for the replacement of car park pay & display machines, funded from Council resources. This report is seeking the release of £35k for the upgrade to the car park pay & display machines, including mains and solar conversion works, signage works and additional machines. The costs are based on quotations and includes internal engineer's fees and contingency at approximately 4% & 15% respectively of the quoted works costs. RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION The benefit or impact upon residents, service users and communities The recommendation will enable all electrical works related to the new P&D parking payment equipment to be undertaken safely and in such a way that the street lighting power network is not affected. The relocation of signage, and installation of new signage w here necessary, will ensure that residents and service users are provided with the necessary statutory information in relation to the parking restrictions in the locations where they have parked. The conversion of additional solar conversion works will reduce reliance on mains power and improve the environmental effect of the new machines. Consultation carried out or required N/A CORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS Corporate Finance Corporate Finance has reviewed this report and concurs with the financial implications set out above, noting that the recommended action to agree a release of £35k for the upgrade to the car park pay & display machines , including mains and solar conversion works, signage works and additional machines will be funded from the 2021/22 approved Car Park Pay & Display Machines Replacement capital budget. Capital Release Report – 15 March 2022 Page 5 (Part 1 - Public) Legal The Borough Solicitor confirms that the Council is responsible for carrying out this functi on pursuant to Section 34 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, t hus, there are no legal impediments to the capital release being authorised, although any contract that is entered into must comply with the Council's Procurement and Contract Standing Orders. Capital Release Protocol The release of all capital funds, and certain revenue funds, held by the Council is to be made by a formal democratic decision. No expenditure can be placed or committed by officers until this formal approval is given by Democratic Services. Release of funds must be for identified projects only and strictly not for the general release of funds for projects to be identified at a later date. No block releases of capital or funding will be allowed, except if authorised by the Leader of the Council in advance to Corporate Finance. The release of fun ds will only be made if previous Council, Cabinet or Cabinet Member agreement has been given to the project and only if there is an approved budget. BACKGROUND PAPERS NIL Capital Release Report – 15 March 2022 Page 6 (Part 1 - Public) APPENDIX A Car Park Pay & Display Machines Upgrades 2021/22 Location Project / Expenditure Title Information Funds Release Sought £000’s Approve Hold More Information Required Boroughwide Upgrades Pay & Display Machines Upgrades in Car Parks 35 Total seeking release 35 Previously released 0 Budget 35 Remaining budget 0 FOR THE LEADER / CABINET MEMBER: Please tick the boxes to indicate whether you approve, wish to hold, or require further information on this capital release request. A YELLOW duplicate is provided of this appendix for you to sign and return to Democratic Services along with the standard yellow form.
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Executive Decision Notice – 06 April 2022 Page 1 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTICE PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES Notice is hereby given that the following decision(s) have been made today by Cabinet Members at the London Borough of Hillingdon: Title of decision CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (March 2022) DEPARTMENT: RESIDENTS SERVICES SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Car Park Pay & Display Machines Upgrades RELEASE NO: 1 Reference No. 433 Date of decision Wednesday 06 April 2022 Call-in expiry date 5pm, Wednesday 13 April 2022 Relevant Select Committee(s) Public Safety and Transport Select Committee Relevant Ward(s) All Decision made Cabinet Members making the decision Councillor Martin Goddard – Cabinet Member for Finance Councillor John Riley – Cabinet Member for Public Safety and Transport Approved That the Cabinet Member for Finance and the Cabinet Member for Public Safety and Transport agreed to the capital release request of £ 34,625 for the upgrades to the Car Park Pay & Display Machines from the 2021/22 Car Park Pay & Display Replacement budget Reason for decision The proposals set out ensure that all the electrical works required for the new Pay & Display machines are undertaken safely by the Council’s term contractor and do not affect the operation of the street lighting power network. The installation of the new P&D machines will require the relocation of some of the existing street furniture as well as the replacement of some signs/signposts to ensure that they continue to meet the legal requirements for parking restriction signs. Alternative options considered and rejected All the P&D machines requiring mains connections could have been converted to work exclusively from solar power, but this is not recommended as mains power is only utilised at 29 of the 273 sites, due to the extremely high usage levels at some sites. Executive Decision Notice – 06 April 2022 Page 2 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk In high usage sites, the use of solar power could cause the machine to fail at times as it could not meet the power requirements of processing the high level of transactions. It would also result in longer term maintenance costs as the solar batteries would have to be removed and recharged from time to time. The machines could have been installed in the same location as the old machines so that the signs and signposts did not need to be moved but this would have delayed the project and resulted in a loss of income/service as the P&D machines would not be operating for approximately 5 working days during the installation works. Classification Part 1 – Public Link to associated report Here Relevant Officer contact & Directorate Roy Clark – Place Directorate Any interest declared by the Cabinet Member(s) / dispensation granted N/A Implementation of decision & scrutiny call-in [Internal Use only] When can this decision be implemented by officers? Officers can implement Cabinet Member decision in this notice only from the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is: 5pm, Wednesday 13 April 2022 However, this is subject to the decision not being called in by Councillors on the relevant Select Committee. Upon receipt of a valid call-in request, Democratic Services will immediately advise the relevant officer(s) and the decision must then be put on hold. Councillor scrutiny call- in of this decision Councillors on the relevant Select Committee shown in this notice may request to call-in this decision. The request must be before the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period above. Councillors should use the Scrutiny Call-in App (link below) on their devices to initiate any call-in request. Further advice can be sought from Democratic Services if required: Scrutiny Call-In - Power Apps (secure) Further information These decisions, where applicable, have been taken under The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012. This is the formal notice by the Council of the above executive decision, including links to the reports where applicable. Executive Decision Notice – 06 April 2022 Page 3 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk If you would like more information on this decision, please contact Democratic Services on 01895 250636 or email: democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk. Circulation of this decision notice is to a variety of people including Members of the Council, Corporate Directors, Officers, Group Secretariats and the Public. Copies are also placed on the Council’s website. Democratic Services London Borough of Hillingdon Civic Centre High Street Uxbridge UB8 1UW