Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

High fines for parking offences ...
There will be two fine tariffs - £70 for 'serious' offences such as parking on a double yellow line or in a disabled bay without entitlement, and £50 for 'lesser' offences such as not having a pay and display ticket. You will get a 50% discount for prompt payment, and an increase in the fine if payment is not made within the time specified. An exception is if you take the original ticket to appeal.

As we all know, there is effectively no current enforcement of on-street parking rules in West Wiltshire since the police gave up a few years ago, so people have got used to being able to park illegally, just about at will.

The decision to charge the highest rate for fines is in response to a request from the county council, who will take over the whole process next year when Wiltshire goes 'unitary'.

It's estimated that about 12,000 fines will be issued per year in West Wiltshire, raising about £300,000 for the new council. However, government rules stipulate how this money can be spent - it can't simply be added to the council pot and squandered.

Progress towards the introduction of Civil Parking Enforcement continues. Key jobs which have been accomplished are:

• Recruitment of three new staff

• Training of existing staff to City and Guilds standards(!)

• Development of patrol patterns for the enforcement team.

Press adverts for the change have been placed and, despite reports of legal problems elsewhere in the country, the council claims it is on schedule for introduction on 16 June.