That the Director of Price in Place be authorised to award the successful contract to facilitate delivery of the new automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system within the procurement timetable.

To deliver an efficient and effective parking experience at Fleet Walk Car Park by streamlining access and egress from the car park whilst also optimising income through efficiencies and “smart” technologies.

The Council was served an obsolescence notice by the manufacturer in May 2023 stating that parts for Fleet Walk Car Parks current system will no longer be manufactured by July 2023. Withdrawal of maintenance support had been presented to the Council as a fait accompli with no option or possibility to extend the existing support contract.  Therefore there were no alternatives but to proceed with the procurement of a new car park management system.

This decision will come into force and may be implemented on 26 February 2024 unless the call-in procedure is triggered (as set out in the Standing Orders in relation to Overview and Scrutiny).

Fleet Walk’s car park revenue system, which was over 23 years old, requires replacement. An obsolescence notice had been received from the manufacturer stating that manufacturing of a dated component had ceased resulting in withdrawal of maintenance support on 31^st May 2024. Procurement for a new parking system had been published and was with contractors for tendering.

Approval from Cabinet was sought to delegate authority to the Director of Pride in Place to award the contract in order to deliver the procurement timetable to facilitate completion of the new car park system by the maintenance support withdrawal date.

At the meeting Councillor Billings proposed and Councillor Chris Lewis seconded a motion that was agreed unanimously by the Cabinet, as set out above.

None.