North Norfolk District Council/NNDC car park, Vicarage Street, North Walsham.
PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY
North Norfolk Lib Dems oppose controversial parking plans - and put forward solution for free spaces in North Walsham and Fakenham
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
1:20 PM
Opponents to controversial plans to scrap free parking across north Norfolk have said the spaces should be placed in the hands of the towns affected - in a bid to prevent the proposals being brought in.
The district’s Liberal Democrats have said North Walsham residents should be put in charge of the Mundesley Road and Midland Road car parks by handing them to the town council.
Under proposals being discussed by North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) - which runs the area’s car parks - season tickets would be introduced at the two Walsham facilities and at free spaces in Fakenham.
The authority also wants to hike parking charges in Cromer, Holt, Sheringham and Wells and introduce a £1 evening fee in a bid to help plug its £900,000 funding gap.
But the plans have met fierce opposition from businesses and workers and now the Lib Dems have voiced their anger against the proposed scheme.
Leader Virginia Gay said members agreed at a meeting yesterday that they could not support the plans.
“We do not believe that now is the time to remove spending power from our local economy. We don’t believe that ratcheting up these charges is good for either jobs or business.”
Mrs Gay added: “We also have a remedy for the currently free car parks. If the conservative run council doesn’t want to run any free car parks then they should hand them back to the towns and parishes from which they come.
“That would be a local solution, local town councils running local car parks.”
Wyndham Northam, district councillor with the responsibility for car parks, said those against the proposals should write to Jill Fisher, assets manager at NNDC, by February 23.
● North Norfolk’s Labour group has also spoken out against the plans and put forward an alternative scheme to increase parking charges in the summer - passing the cost onto tourists - and decrease them in the winter.
Members have also invited NNDC leader Helen Eales to discuss the plans with them ahead of a full council meeting later this month, where the budget and parking charges will be discussed.
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4 comments
Virginia Gay says she does not believe "ratcheting up these charges is good for either jobs or businesses". A year ago the EDP reported her cabinet as saying "there was no reason why the general ratepayer should subsidise car parking" as they announced increased charges. Another example of hypocrisy from the Lib Dems, just like their "opposition" to other parking proposals in December... they abstained from the vote.
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Jono Read
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
can ms gay assure the council that the town councils could afford not to charge ? otherwise there is no point doing it because the fees will still be there
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Double Bill
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Virginia Gay says she does not believe "ratcheting up these charges is good for either jobs or businesses". A year ago the EDP reported her cabinet as saying "there was no reason why the general ratepayer should subsidise car parking" as they announced increased charges. Another example of hypocrisy from the Lib Dems, just like their "opposition" to other parking proposals in December... they abstained from the vote.
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Jono Read
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
It's taken the Liberals long enough to come up with an Idea! If they hand the car parks over to the Town Council, who is to say they will agree to keep the parking free? Do the town council want the burden of a car park, paying the insurance, upkeep, etc of the car parks without getting any return? Also, didn't the Liberals abstain when this vote went to full council late last year? What has changed now? And what are they going to do about the rest of the districts car parks?
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Callum Ringer
Tuesday, February 14, 2012