Trade union criticises council parking contractor over 'inexcusable' redundancy plans

NSL was recently given a new four-year contract extension worth £6.5m per year, reports Joe Ives, Local Democracy Reporter

Civil enforcement office (credit Joe Ives-LDRS) — A civil enforcement officer (credit Joe Ives/LDRS)

A parking enforcement firm recently given a new multimillion-pound deal by Enfield Council has been accused by a trade union of “inexcusable” redundancy plans.

Last week the local authority agreed a four-year contract extension for the “provision of parking, traffic and ancillary services” from Marston Holdings Ltd, which operates security and enforcement company NSL.

The decision to approve the deal, budgeted at £6.5million per year, became effective this Wednesday (12th) – the same day a major trade union published a damning statement alleging NSL was moving jobs out of the borough.

GMB, which represents “hundreds of local government workers” in Enfield, announced on Wednesday it had learned of plans from NSL that would make nine people in the borough lose their jobs.

The union said the workers, employed by NSL to monitor CCTV, will be made redundant as their roles move to either Rochdale in Greater Manchester or Inverness in Scotland.

GMB argues the move “will take jobs and tax revenue out of Enfield, and lose the local knowledge required for CCTV review”. It has now written to the council’s chief executive Perry Scott to raise its concerns.

The trade union’s regional organiser, Mary Goodson, said the union is “deeply concerned that nine experienced colleagues are set to lose their jobs”.

Goodson added: “It is inexcusable for these jobs and local council tax revenue to be moved out of the borough, and it raises serious questions about where these relocation plans will end.

“This is some of the clearest evidence we’ve seen to date of a two-tier system, where outsourced workers’ terms and conditions are less favourable than in-house council staff.

“We are urging NSL to reconsider their decision and keep these roles in Enfield, where they belong.”

Last year the council worked with NSL “to ensure a more effective deployment” of on-street civil enforcement officers monitoring illegal parking. NSL’s Enfield parking enforcement team was eventually expanded to 50 staff, up from 36 at the start of 2025.

A report prepared ahead of the council’s decision to extend its deal with NSL, made ten days ago, noted that the number of civil enforcement officers patrolling the borough had “increased substantially” throughout the course of 2025.

This, they said, had an effect of “enhancing enforcement coverage and enabling more effective management of parking non-compliance across the borough”.

At the same time, officers said the renewed contract would “require close contract management and scrutiny ensuring the provider is meeting the KPIs [key performance indicators]”.

Responding to questions from the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) this week, a council spokesperson said: “NSL forms part of the Marston Holdings Group, who work in partnership with over 280 UK local authorities, as well as government bodies including His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, the Child Maintenance Agency, Highways England and Transport for London.

“These decisions are made as part of the contractor’s business operations and are not influenced by, nor specified within, the council’s parking services contract extension.

“We are aware that NSL is currently undertaking a staff consultation process and recognise that this is an uncertain time for those affected. As this is an ongoing HR [human resources] process, we are also conscious of the need for the consultation to progress appropriately and in accordance with their established procedures.”

The LDRS also reached out to Marston Holdings in regards to the issues raised by the GMB trade union but has not yet received a response.

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