Chipside Ltd

When Harlow Council in Essex took over responsibility for parking enforcement from the police last November it had to update its parking enforcement and permit management IT systems. The council also wanted to link the parking operation into its new customer management system which provides a single point of access for all public enquiries made by phone, email or via the internet at www.harlow.gov.uk

the solution

The council hired IT company Chipside to provide its parking enforcement system, which is also supplying ongoing technical support and project management. Chipside’s Case Manager IT system was tested throughout last summer and went live on 1 November. Then, on 26 January, the .Net version of Case Manager went live, enabling the parking team to meet the council’s e-government objectives.

The local authority’s attendants have new mobile computers, its back office staff have new IT equipment, while the parking team’s online services are compliant with e-government guidance.

The implementation of decriminalised parking enforcement entailed a major review of signs, lines and traffic orders across the town. On the day that the new special parking commenced, so did several new resident permit schemes. In all, some 2,000 new permits had to be created and dispatched by the new Case Manager system.

The four council employed parking attendants now patrolling Harlow’s streets use Psion Workabout hand-held computers and also take digital photos to support the penalty charge notices (PCNs) they issue. The PCNs are set at £60, and there is a 50% discount for early repayment.

the benifits

The back office system is electronically updates with new cases by uploading files off the hand-helds. These cases then pass through the administrative process set out by the Road Traffic Act 1991, through issuing Notices to Owners, dealing with representations, appeals, payments and the instructing bailiffs in the case of non-payment.

All letters dealt with by the parking services team are recorded and archived by the IT system, which uses the Microsoft Internet Explorer format.

Harlow Council was determined to improve electronic access to its parking information and services. The parking services team thus ensured that its new software featured XML interface links to the new Contact Harlow facility. When a customer contacts the council, either by phone or in person, all questions, forms and other correspondence are immediately logged into the customer relationship management system (HCRM).

The software system then catalogues the information and sends it electronically to the relevant specialist department within the council, such as parking or planning. The department will review the contact information and then respond to the customer directly.

Contact Chipside Ltd

Telephone: (0870) 9911005 EMail: help@chipside.com
75 St Austell Way, Churchward Park, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN2 2DG. United Kingdom