Parking fines bringing in big cash for councils

But local authority bosses across Staffordshire have been told to improve finances as some district councils are spending too much on parking enforcement.

They are battling to reduce the deficit between the amount they spend on providing a parking service and the cash brought in by fines.

Cannock Chase Council is set to make £152,300 for the 12 months between April 2013 and 2014, which is up from the £135,200 brought in over the previous financial year. The number of fines given out has also gone up. From April to September 2013, there were 3,926 penalty charge notices issued – an increase of 1,080 on the same period last year.

Despite that, it will end up with an estimated £28,500 deficit when the cost of providing the service, such as employing wardens, is taken into account.

South Staffordshire Council has handed out 3,926 fines between April and September, bringing in £27,702. And some £60,200 in fines is expected to be made by April next year, up from £54,700 in 2012/13. It faces a £61,000 deficit. In Stafford, however, income from fines is set to drop by nearly £35,000 to £173,500 in 2013/14.

It made £79,539 between April and September 2013, with 5,126 parking tickets issued. It's deficit is expected to be £73,500.

A report to Staffordshire County Council's parking board by deputy chief executive Helen Riley says there needs to be 'improvements' in district councils' finances with parking enforcement. It adds: "This provision cannot accommodate excessive deficits and improvements in any district's position are welcome."

South Staffordshire Council Leader Brian Edwards defended the figures and said illegal parking caused 'a lot of problems' across the district. He added: "We don't charge for parking in car parks, so none of this money comes from people overstaying. It is a problem in particular in villages and the parish councils have asked for it to be enforced."

Cannock's senior technical officer Steve Schofield, in a report accompanying the figures, said the county council's budget requirements for parking are 'unlikely to be achieved in the foreseeable future'.