ULSTER Unionist Councillor Alex Baird is calling for a shake up of car parking arrangements in Fermanagh after it emerged that over £65,000 worth of fines in the last year have not yet been paid.
The outstanding debt for off street parking, which is now managed by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, has been revealed following a Freedom of Information request by this newspaper.
Councillor Baird, who wants to axe traffic wardens from our streets, told The Impartial Reporter: “I am disappointed, concerned and indeed angered at the level of outstanding debt.”
“Any uncollected debt inevitably has a negative effect on the ratepayer. While part of the problem may be as a result of our proximity to another jurisdiction, this cannot account for all the non payment. Non payment of car parking tickets or fines is a crime and outstanding debt must be followed up.
“Having said that Councils have inherited a system from the old Department of Regional Development and I have asked that a business case be prepared for, where feasible, the introduction of a pay on exit system for off-street parking fines. This I believe would resolve the problem of non payment of parking tickets and subsequent fines,” he said. 
The SDLP’s Garbhan McPhillips said he was “surprised and disappointed” by the outstanding debt. 
“This was one of the functions that was handed to Councils on the reorganisation of local government and to date it has not proven to be beneficial to either the Council or indeed the ratepayer. Ultimately I believe the ratepayer will have to pick up the outstanding amount,” he said.
The Erne East Councillor added: “I would encourage anyone who has an outstanding ticket charge to pay because if you don’t it is a debt to the Council.”
Councillor David Mahon, Democratic Unionist Party, said the number of outstanding fines is “staggering.”
“It is an issue that will have to be considered fully by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council in terms of enforcement and the reasons behind why fines are not being paid. This seems to be an ongoing problem.
“Money from car park income is used for our local Council services and therefore any deficit has a knock on effect on how we can utilise money elsewhere. I believe that more needs to be done in way of enforcing car parking fines as it is unfair that responsible car owners pay up and others decide not to and get away with it,” he said.
Nobody from Sinn Fein was available to comment. 
Meanwhile, The Impartial Reporter recently reported that Council controlled car parks have generated £130,000 less than expected over the past year, prompting Fermanagh and Omagh District Council to voice “grave concerns” about the shortfall.
For the second time in five months, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC) witnessed a deficit in its local off-street car parking figures and as a result became particularly concerned by the fact that parking fines are not generating enough money.
Statistics show that in the financial year from April 2015 to March 2016 the 13 Council controlled car parks in this district generated a total income of £940,037, 12 per cent less than the expected total of £1.1 million.