
CCTV Car Timeline (KM Group)
Many people reading this blog will be aware of the authors views on the Medway Conservative CCTV cars which are a law onto themselves. Symbolic of the administration, many consider it a 'white vulture', a flight of fancy, whilst others are apparently 'almost' demanding these cars on their street corners
Medway Conservatives claim there is a groundswell of support for the vehicles - yet never substantiate this - nor do they choose to mention it once on the Medway Conservative website or the Rainham Central website. So many passionate advocates that, from my recollection, it did not feature on any electoral leaflet in the local election.
I along with most people somehow find it hard to believe that there is a massive hidden majority out there who are salivating for one of these vehicles down their road, but if you believe the (Rainham) Tory spin in the press; these cars are the salvation of the Medway roads and a paragon of virtue.
Or course I am willing to be proved wrong and I am sympathetic to the argument that people want appropriate enforcement of parking and scrutiny. But sub-contracting out two vehicles to a potentially poor contractor who inflicts much reputational damage onto the Council, should and needs to be scrutinised very closely. I believe some Tories are in denial about this.
Let me explain why.
Universally despised wherever they operate these cars are seen as the physical embodiment of an overly centralist and controlling local authority. Many Conservative Councils will never introduce such schemes, and the leading campaign group Big Brother Watch, who oppose the cars, is being managed by a former Conservative PPC. Let us be clear; many authorities do have the opportunity to introduce the cars but choose not to...
And why? There is something fundamentally wrong about being caught breaking the same rules it imposes on everyone else which it does on a regular basis (see here, here, here, here, here and here) and the inequity of the fine; it has created more front page scoops than any other story added up over the last 2 years and it will continue to do immense damage to the trust of politics in Medway.
Indeed, the only positive news on the cars can be found on the Medway Council website, who have ironically awarded the vehicles several Customer Service awards. The cruel irony is that the car was awarded an award in April 2010 not because of customer support, but one month after it issued an eye-watering 2,762 tickets against residents in March 2010.
This type of public back-slapping angers the public immensely. It should.
The leading supporter of the cars is none other than Councillor O'Brien. Indeed, such a supporter that he has stated that "at every single community meeting I go to I have residents almost demanding the CCTV car."
Well if residents of Rainham are 'almost' demanding a Council spy car on every road that settles it. In fact the only (not almost) cases I get are people moaning about the inequity of the vehicles choosing to fine people in narrow terraced streets, where parking can be difficult at the best of times.
And are the cars raising important sums? The vehicle (s) has made a revenue of £770,000 over four years or £192,000 per annum. In the grand scheme of Council budgets this is pathetic sum and could be more than corrected by increasing number of actual wardens, or constant use of fixed site camera's.
The argument of course used to oppose any review is that the cars are fulfilling a service and slapping down those who are inconsiderate.
This I believe is woefully ignoring the fact that 1 in 4 of the fines is overturned on appeal and as to why only two-thirds have been paid. It would ignore the challenge tabled by many that these vehicles has been anything but professional with 30 CCTV car staff having left since 2008, of which six were sacked, five were laid off and 19 have left of their own accord. No review and we may continue with a management failure caused by inappropriate recruitment or staff training.
The Tory line that the number of tickets is reducing proves CCTV enforcement is having a positive effect is also totally unsubstantiated with fact, and actually ignores the reality for why a review is necessary
Lets just look at the Tory CCTV Car in more detail
- Tory CCTV car has issued over 55,000 tickets, but only two-thirds have been paid due to disputes. A quarter have been cancelled after residents fought and won
- Tory CCTV car has made revenues of £1.6m since 2008, with £771,000 remaining after costs
- Staff have cost £421,000, the cars have cost £319,000 and fuel, maintenance and the 'uniforms' have cost £31,000
- 30 staff have left since 2008. Six were sacked, five were laid off and 19 left of their own accord
- Number of tickets issued has declined since November 2010 with only 754 tickets issued in October 2011
- All tickets issued could be void due to 'blunders' in the paperwork
So why the review?
The above facts make a review sensible. Backbench Councillors would then be able to ask the decent and substantive questions about the operational effectiveness of the cars.
At present, the Tories have refused the opposition demands for a full operational review
We know there is some sympathy in the ranks; even some Conservatives dont like them. Both Alan W Collins and leading Medway Youth Chairman (who represents only one and a half constituencies) Joe Armitage have both savaged the vehicles. With friends like those there is a small glint of light that they may reflect more widespread opinion...
It is time the CCTV car had a full review so that backbench and opposition Councillors can undertake a proper and thorough assessment, so that if appropriate we can scrap the cars when the contract expires in April 2013.