A FORMAL application for the transferral of parking enforcement powers to Newport City Council has been made to the Welsh Government.

The move follows the decision of Gwent Police to withdraw from parking enforcement.

The council decided in January to apply for civil enforcement powers within the city. With the legislative process likely to take up to six months, combined with the creation of the new service within the council, it is anticipated that the council will begin civil parking enforcement on July 1, 2019.

Councillor Roger Jeavons, who is the council’s cabinet member for streetscene, said: “With the police withdrawing from enforcement, and continuing dissatisfaction being expressed by residents and businesses across the city regarding the rising levels of illegal parking, the introduction of civil parking enforcement is widely welcomed across the city.

“Under these new powers, the council will deploy 12 enforcement officers to work across the city with authority to issue penalty charge notices for parking contraventions.”

Caerphilly council is set to be the earliest authority to take over the new responsibility. It is planning to adopt the powers from April 2019.

Marcus Lloyd, head of infrastructure at Caerphilly, said: “At present Caerphilly is planning to adopt the relevant powers from April 8, 2019, with the other four Gwent authorities adopting the powers at various timeframes beyond April 2019.

"[Caerphilly] wouldn’t delay its implementation timetable but the general feeling is that it would be better if local authorities assumed CPE powers at the same time to ensure consistency."

The remaining Gwent councils are set to soon submit the applications to accept the new powers.

Monmouthshire County Council will be making a formal application later this month.

Torfaen council’s consultation period ends on November 16. After this, it will be in a position to make a formal application. and it is anticipating to have the new powers from July 2019.

It is not known if Blaenau Gwent Council has submitted a formal application, but it is looking to also implement the new powers in July 2019.