Queensferry and Sandycroft considering extra enforcement officers

At a town council meeting in Sandycroft on Tuesday (July 9), councillors discussed the possibility of paying a daily rate of £195 for an extra enforcement officer to patrol the district.

It is hoped that the added presence will help to combat the constant issues of dog fouling and illegal parking in the area.

The parking problem on Rectors Lane in Pentre was a major driving force behind the discussion to consider extra enforcement officers.

Illegally parked vehicles on the road – particularly on the corner, outside Kim’s Sandwich Shop – are causing obstructions for turning vehicles who it is claimed are forced to mount the kerb.

But the possible introduction of another enforcement officer to patrol problem areas could alleviate the issue.

These “multi-skilled” enforcement officers will have the power to deal with parking problems while also being able to issue fixed penalty notices (FPNs) or issues such as dog fouling.

However, no final decision was made by the council about hiring additional enforcement officers as they wait for assurances from Flintshire County Council.

Town councillors expressed concerns about how much of the money made from successful catches will come back to the council who would be paying the daily £195 fee.

At the meeting, Cllr David Wisinger, said: “Not all of the money should be going to Flintshire County Council. We’re the ones who will be paying £195 for this officer, so we should get at least some of the money made from tickets.”

Current parking rules on Rectors Lane entitle illegally parked vehicles to a ‘five-minute observation period’ where the officer must allow that period of time to pass before issuing a ticket.

The council, though, also explored the possibility of changing the signage on the street to entitle officers to immediately issue parking notices.

The issue will discussed again at the next town council meeting in September 2019.