Record parking fines cause for concern - council

"Record numbers" of parking fines issued by Warwick District Council have led to concerns among local politicians, even though the fines provide a cash boost to the authority.

A budget monitoring report showed that the council expected to bring in £79,000 extra parking income this financial year.

At a meeting, cabinet heard a spike in fines persisted, leaving members to question whether it was because of car park systems, misunderstandings by the public, or new payment apps.

Conservative councillor Andrew Day, the former leader of the authority, said: "We want to better understand why the penalty charges are continuing."

The budget monitoring report said: "After the parking service underwent an alignment in July last year, the increase in Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) being issued were expected to stabilise.

"However, we continue to see record numbers of PCNs being issued, increasing income for this service."

Day said of the situation: "It is a cause for concern."

He asked: "Is that the nature of the way our car parks are set up? Is it the charges? What are members of the public doing, are they misunderstanding the way the arrangements work? Is it something with the new parking apps?

"It can cause quite a lot of angst among residents if they are getting these charges, it is something we would like to see reduced, not continue at the level it is."

Portfolio holder for neighbourhoods, Green Party councillor Will Robert, said the issue would be considered as part of an upcoming review and the council did not want to see parking fines "this high".

But he said: "Our wardens are in the car parks and when people don't pay for their parking or park across the lines, they are doing their job."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.

Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.