HUNDREDS of people trying to renew their residents’ parking permits in Brighton and Hove have to apply for a new permit from scratch – a more cumbersome process requiring proof of address.
Brighton and Hove City Council has sent out renewal letters asking people to apply for new permits via its website.
But when drivers try, many receive an error message because their details are not in the database of existing license holders. Not all details from an old database have been transferred to the council’s new computer system for parking services.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service contacted the council’s chief executive, Geoff Raw, after repeatedly receiving an error message that read, “An error has occurred. Please contact your system administrator.”
Mr Raw said the transfer of the entire database to the new system would be completed in June, a year after it began its phased roll-out for “light” parking areas.
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Over the past year, councilors have received hundreds of emails from residents complaining about issues with parking permit renewals or delays in receiving them.
The problems followed the introduction of a “future-proof” system provided by a company called Ubisecure, although the board has previously said it was responsible for the problems – not Ubisecure.
The new system came with a promise of “easy access”, “reduced IT support time and costs” and a “simplified user experience”.
Ubisecure promised “better user satisfaction as residents also save time managing their own account” which also covers council tax, garbage and recycling and school place applications.
Last September, Conservative Councilor Robert Nemeth raised the issue at a meeting of the council’s environment, transport and sustainability committee.
He said at the time that he had received several complaints after the council began transferring parking permits to the “My Account” system.
He said he had lost count of the number of people who had contacted him, unable to renew their permits, and estimated the citywide figure to be in the thousands.
Green Councilor Amy Heley, who chairs the committee, said the council had tripled the number of staff working to help people over the phone.
Residents have been told they should apply for a new permit – rather than renewing a permit – as a workaround.
But new parking permit applications require address confirmation issued within the last three months, such as a utility bill and car insurance confirmation.
The delays have led the council to employ a courier company to issue visitors’ parking permits to ensure they reach residents.
Council was asked to comment further on issues affecting the issuance of parking permits.
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Source: www.theargus.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-05-03 01:50:35
