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Scottish Sun
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Scots school janitors ‘could be asked to issue fines to parents parking badly'
The local authority is currently looking at how road safety around schools can be improved PENALTY PLAN Scots school janitors 'could be asked to issue fines to parents parking badly' A SCOTS council has been asked to consider tasking school janitors with fining parents for poor parking. Concerns have been raised over hazardous manoeuvring and bad parking at drop-off and collection spots in the Falkirk area. 1 EYR368 Closeup of a UK parking ticket (penalty charge notice) Credit: Alamy The local authority is currently looking at how road safety around schools can be improved, after £200,000 for enhancements was agreed in this year's capital budget. An external consultant has now been tasked to inspect the issue. And feedback forms have been handed out to the council's 59 schools, as reported by The Falkirk Herald. The problem was discussed as part of the local authority's new road safety review and was also mentioned in talks surrounding new fines for parking on pavements and at dropped kerbs. During a meeting of Falkirk Council's executive this week, Tory group leader, Baillie James Kerr, suggested janitorial staff could be involved in issuing penalties when enforcement for pavement parking starts in August. He said: 'I know there would need to be discussions around job descriptions and with trade unions. But I'm sure if you asked every janitor in the local schools, they would like to help make it possible. 'I think it would only need to happen once or twice. If one of the janitors issues a ticket, it will stop. 'I know it's a long way off, but would you consider it after consultation with education and HR?' Engineering design manager Gary McGregor said he was 'not sure this was a route the council could go down'. But he agreed to raise the issue at the joint meeting between education and roads. Meet Supercar King Tom Hartley Junior - The Man Who's Selling the World's Most Exclusive Rides Councillor James Bundy asked if parents who were in their cars with the engine idling could be penalised under fresh powers. Officers said they are considering other options in a bid to crack down on the issue. Falkirk Council's engineering designers have also been involved at parking, visibility and access, and recommendations have been made for schools. SNP economic development spokesperson, Councillor Paul Garner, said the £200,000 budget would 'increase road safety around schools, hopefully, a great deal'.
Daily Record
02-05-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Falkirk school janitors 'could be asked to issue fines to parents parking badly'
Falkirk Council are looking at ways top tackle the problem of parking around schools, and one councillor has suggested janitors be asked to help issue fines for poor parking School janitors could be asked to help issue fines to parents parking badly when they pick their children up, a councillor has suggested. Dangerous parking at drop-off and pick-up times has been raised repeatedly with Falkirk Council's education service by concerned school staff, parents and local councillors and £200,000 for improvements was agreed in this year's capital budget to help tackle the problem. An external consultant was engaged to look at the problem in more detail and feedback forms were distributed to each of the council's 59 schools. The council's engineering designers have also been involved in looking at what parking is available and if there are problems with things such as visibility and access. A list of priorities has now been drawn up and recommendations made for schools, with both 'quick wins' and longer-term solutions being considered. At a meeting of Falkirk Council's executive this week, members heard that members of the engineering design team will also meet soon with education staff to look at actions that would improve the situation. The issue was discussed as part of the council's new road safety review, but was also raised in the discussion around new penalties for parking on pavements and at dropped kerbs. The Conservative group leader, Baillie James Kerr, asked if janitorial staff could be involved in issuing fines when enforcement for pavement parking starts in August. He said: "I know there would need to be discussions around job descriptions and with trade unions, but I'm sure if you asked every janitor in the local schools, they would like to help make it possible. "I think it would only need to happen once or twice - if one of the janitors issues a ticket, it will stop. "I know it's a long way off but would you consider it after consultation with education and HR?" Engineering design manager Gary McGregor said he was "not sure this was a route the council could go down" as there are many issues involved but he agreed to raise the issue at the joint meeting between education and roads. Councillor James Bundy, asked if parents who were actually in their cars with the engine idling could be fined under the new powers. Officers said that while this would be enforceable they are currently looking at lots of other options that will hopefully help. SNP economic development spokesperson, Cllr Paul Garner, said the review, with a £200,000 budget would "increase road safety around schools, hopefully, a great deal".
Daily Record
25-04-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Falkirk farm has house plan refused 12 years after getting permission
Falkirk Council refused to grant planning to build a house on a farm where planning permission had previously been granted - 12 years ago. Members of Falkirk Council's planning committee heard that since the permission was originally granted for the house at Hillend Farm, off Mosscastle Road, Slamannan, the Local Development Plan had changed, which meant the area is no longer allocated for housing. Planners said the previous permission was granted in 2013 but had expired in 2016 and since then there had been several policy changes, including major national guidance. While permission for countryside development can be granted if there are good reasons to override policies, members heard that no additional information had been provided that would support the need for another house on the farm. Any new application would also require an ecology survey as the the farm is very close to Slamannan Plateau Special Protection Area (SPA) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). NatureScot said some of the surrounding fields are visited by taiga bean geese, which are protected. The ecology watchdog said it would be opposed to the proposals unless mitigations, including hedging and a dog-proof fence were put in place. Baillie James Kerr said he had sympathy for the application which would see the new house being built among a cluster of farm buildings. He asked the committee to consider giving the applicant more time to submit information but only one councillor supported this. Councillor Gary Bouse said that while he also had sympathy for the situation, the new application had to looked at on its own and there were numerous policies that were against it. He proposed accepting the officers' recommendations that the planning permission should not be granted and this was accepted by the committee. For more Falkirk stories, sign up to our newsletter here .
