Nottingham parking levy criminal offences revealed

Employers who breach the Workplace Parking Levy in Nottingham next year could be committing a criminal offence.

Registering false details or blocking council officers will be a criminal matter but not having a licence will be a civil offence, firms have been told.

The city council has also admitted that if employees pay the charge separately, they will be charged VAT.

The estimated annual £279 charge will be applied to businesses with 11 or more parking spaces from April 2012.

The information is outlined in a new handbook which is being sent out by the city council to 500 employers.

Other civil offences will include not having enough licences or not complying with their full conditions.

'Not heavy-handed'

These breaches will be punishable with penalty charge notices. Criminal offences will be dealt with by the courts and will also be examined by the police for possible fraud.

The council confirmed automatic number plate recognition technology will be used to monitor car parks when making some checks.

A spokesman said: "The intention of the council is to pursue compliance rather than enforcement.

"It will use self-registration and we will be working with employers and where there are discrepancies we try to sort it out.

"We are not going to be heavy-handed."

A licence will be needed from October, six months before the scheme is due to go live.