Fermanagh and Omagh Shadow Councillors are concerned that increased rates bills will be the only way to meet the cost of the Council taking responsibility for off-street car parks.

The Shadow Council disputes the Department for Regional Development’s (DRD) figures which show that car parks in Fermanagh and Omagh currently make a total revenue £1,105,000. They have asked DRD to look at the figures again. Fermanagh and Omagh Shadow Council estimate that off street car parking will generate a surplus of £806,000 which must be deducted from the budget they receive to cover the cost of transfering functions to the new Council in April 2015.

Next April, the new ‘super councils’ will take responsibility for all off-street car parking assets owned by DRD (including land, buildings and parking machines). On-street car parking will remain in DRD’s control. Councils will set the car park tariffs and will receive the money from the penalty charge notices and the car parking receipts. Councils will also have powers to replace the ‘red coats’ (after 2016 when their contract with DRD ends), but it remains to be seen what Fermanagh and Omagh Council will decide in this regard.

Chief Executive Designate of Fermanagh and Omagh Council Brendan Hegarty has told the Shadow Council that “total direct costs, which comprise rent, rates and minor maintenance, are estimated at £144,000. Enforcement costs, including cash collection costs are £155,000. Total costs therefore are £299,000 and it is projected that off street car parking will generate a surplus of £806,000 in the Fermanagh and Omagh area.” He added: “This surplus will be deducted from the grant that transfers to the Council. The impact of this is that unless the functions continues to generate a net income of £806,000 there will be a cost to the ratepayer.” Mr. Hegarty has expressed particular concern at the lack of budget in respect of maintenance. He advised that Transport NI was of the opinion that the car parks would continue to be fit for purpose for use after 31 March 2015. However, he fells that the current condition of some car parks are not to the standard that the Council would expect, particularly in relation to demarcation of parking bays and condition of the road surfaces.

A ‘car park by car park’ assessment is now underway in Fermanagh and Omagh to establish if all car parks are currently deemed fit for purpose.

Council officials have also been tasked to find out how much impact the £1 for 5 hours parking scheme has had on income generated by local car parks. Mr. Hegarty advised Councillors that this scheme -- which was initially launched by the Transport Minister Danny Kennedy in November 2013 as a Christmas transport package -- could, potentially, be removed by Council.