Somerset Council to spend more than £23.2m on parking enforcement by 2034

By Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Mumby

Somerset Council will spend more than £23.2m on parking enforcement between now and 2034 as part of a new eight-year contract.

The council has a legal duty to manage car parking and traffic across Somerset, including the employment of traffic wardens and the issuing of penalty charge notices (PCNs) either in person or through cameras.

The council’s existing contract expired at the end of June, with a new eight-year deal being put in place to “prevent disruption” and continue to take action against errant motorists.

Officers have now confirmed that around £3.3m will be spent each year on parking enforcement over the next eight years (though this amount is slightly reduced in the first year), giving the contract a total value of just over £23.2m.

Under the new contract, the enforcement services will continue to be provided by NSL (part of the London-based Marston Holdings group), which describes itself as “the UK’s leading provider of parking enforcement”.

The annual cost of the contract will rise by £370,000 due to “wider market and operating cost pressures”, with this cost being offset through increased income from both PCNs and pay and display car parks (the latter of which is part of a separate, ongoing review).

The contract will cost the council just over £2.5m in the first year (up to April 2027) and more than £3.3m for every subsequent year, subject to “satisfactory performance and affordability” on top of any changes in inflation.

Vicky Lowman, the council’s service manager for parking, said in her written report, “Parking enforcement plays a critical role in managing the highway network, supporting turnover of parking spaces, maintaining access, improving road safety, and ensuring that controls are applied fairly and consistently.

“We must deliver this within a challenging environment, including budget pressures, recruitment constraints, training requirements, technology demands and increasing customer expectations.”

The council considered taking this service back in-house but ultimately decided it would be too “complex and resource-intensive” and came with “significant set-up costs”.

Vicky Lowman added, “Continuing with the existing provider enables retention of an established operating model, experienced workforce, supporting systems and local knowledge. This approach also avoids TUPE implications and reduces mobilisation risk.”

“Awarding this contract provides a stable and scalable service, reduces operational risk and enables a stronger focus on performance, compliance, customer service and continuous improvement.”