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Bid to solve Highlands' traffic warden problems





Highlands MSP Rhoda Grant
Highlands MSP Rhoda Grant

A Highlands MSP has held talks with Police Scotland’s chief in a bid to get a rethink on the future of funding for traffic wardens.

Regional Labour Rhoda Grant met the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Sir Stephen House, in Stirling to highlight concern over the force’s plan to withdraw funding.

He has now told her that he would be willing to meet half the bill on a trial basis of 18 months if local authorities meet the remainder.

She said: "I am grateful to him for meeting with me and engaging in a dialogue around this issue. I made it clear to Sir Stephen House that there was not the same opportunity for local authorities throughout the Highlands and Islands to in effect ‘self-fund’ traffic wardens through the funding sourced from the parking fines.

"That is notwithstanding the fact that the policy of funding the service through fines, were this possible, would in itself have a major impact on how parking and traffic flows were managed in the future.

"This is a really big issues for communities, high streets, shopping and commercial areas and those who live and work in or around areas of potential congestion."

Mrs Grant continued "In the larger urban areas of Scotland the local authorities can and do source substantial funding income from parking fines. To be fair to the Chief Constable he recognised this fact and agreed after discussion that Police Scotland would fund 50% of the traffic warden budget for a period up to 18 months if the Highlands and Islands Local Authorities picked up the other 50%".

She went on: "This to me would appear to be a movement from the Chief Constable, but I am concerned that local authorities will not have that funding available within already severely stretched budgets for the provision of a service which has not been their responsibility.

"It is clear that there is an urgent need for meaningful consultation between all the parties concerned to allow savings to be made, a longer term sustainable solution to be agreed, costed and a funding package to be put in place to pay for it."

Mrs Grant has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, John Swinney MSP, to ask him if the Government will provide the matched funding required to give the region’s local authorities and the Scottish Government the time to review funding of the service.


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