Being a resident of Kennet Island, I share the residents frustrations – especially when it comes to the Parking Management and its Enforcement on Kennet Island. Following consultation with residents, I developed my ‘Eight to get Straight’ on Kennet Island with Improved Parking Management being top of the list.
Historically, there have always been issues with parking on Kennet Island. There are simply not enough parking spaces available for the number of residents that live here. This issue has been acknowledged by St James who have added further spaces in later phases of the development. The parking situation has not been helped by the introduction of Parking Enforcement Companies. The first, PCM, clamped vehicles in their spaces and even attempted to clamp supermarket delivery vehicle and we’re told attempted to clamp an ambulance! Their threatening behaviour forced residents to call police on occasions and on one night, a group of residents attempted to block the clamper in. Their customer service was poor and in many cases, residents clamped by mistake had to pay PCM the release fee and advised to appeal afterwards.
Of course these stories reached the local press and the development became known as ‘Clampit Island’
Kennet Islanders marooned by parking clampers
I was proud to be chair of the residents association at the time and we successfully had PCM removed from Kennet Island although they were replaced by UKPC who issues tickets. UKPC decided to leave Kennet Island this year (Hallmark inform me that this was following ‘…a serious offence…’) and Hallmark replaced them with PCM without consultation with residents. A petition has been launched to challenge this decision but we fear that this will be ignored by Hallmark. After all, they manage to park in the visitors bays on Whale Avenue all day without a ticket. Seems they have one rule for them and one rule for residents.
Other issues with Parking on Kennet Island include the threat of a ban on commercial vehicles on Kennet Island – even if they were parked in a residents own parking bay. This again was successfully challenged.
Whilst UKPC were contracted, replacement and/or additional permits were charged at £5 whilst Hallmark were only charged 50p by UKPC. Upon questioning, Pauline Southam of Hallmark insisted that the difference of £4.50 was deposited back in the developments Service Charge as income – even though there is not an entry on the service charge statements to verify this. This is still being chased.
To give an example of PCM’s poor service, the PCM employee parked in a residents space today preventing the resident to be able to park in their own bay for an hour! A resident sent me the image to contact Hallmark and St James.
As you can see, the current parking enforcement needs an overhaul. That’s why its one of my ‘Eight to get Straight’ on Kennet Island.
I will ensure that any appointed contractor by Hallmark/St James offers the residents of Kennet Island fairness, consistency and transparency. PCM’s website state that there is potential client revenue generation from their appointment and I believe that any income generated from their appointment (or any other company) such as through the issuing of permits and any commissioned earnt should be accounted for and clearly displayed on the service charge statement and returned to residents through their service charge.