Councillors reflect on 'major concern' over car park charge increases

Councillors spoke of their anger and concern at Cornwall Council’s mooted car park charging increases. His voice cracking with emotion, Looe councillor Armand Toms told the Conservative cabinet: “You don’t care – you really don’t.”

Earlier this year it was announced that the council was introducing new parking zones with different charges according to how busy the area is. This meant that some car park charges could have risen to £2.20 per hour and free evening parking would have been scrapped in some places.

The council has now amended its proposal. However, the changes have been met with disappointment and dismay by many businesses and residents particularly around evening charges, which one councillor previously dubbed as ‘profoundly stupid’.

Cornwall Council’s 135 pay and display and pay on foot car parks will continue to be grouped into one of three ‘zones’ with Zone A being the busiest areas which are well served by public transport and walking and cycle routes.

Reflecting the views of a public consultation, several car parks will now move to a different zone and charges will no longer be introduced between November 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024 in car parks which have previously been free during the winter. As previously reported, free evening parking in Zone A car parks was due to be increased to £2.50 but the charge will now be £2.

Many traders and business leaders across the Duchy have commented on their belief the evening charges in particular will impact on the high street.

At an annual general meeting of the full council on Tuesday, the overview and scrutiny committee was asked to look at the issue in more detail.

Tim Dwelly, Independent councillor for Penzance East, said: “I do hope we can revisit this. We do not need our evening economy damaged. I know a number of councillors agree with that – this is not a party political point. There are major concerns out there and businesses will want to keep discussing this.”

Armand Toms (Ind, Looe East & Deviock) told the chamber: “As you know I tried to call this in – 25 members of this chamber told me they supported it. There is a strong feeling not just among our group but all groups about this issue. I’m going to challenge you to take this back to committee.

“I’m going to challenge you all the way on this because you’ve hurt the people of Looe, you’ve hurt the businesses of Looe and that’s why I’m here to make sure that the voice of Looe is heard. I’m shouting it as hard as I can because nobody else in the chamber seems to care about 5,300 people. You’ve done the same to Seaton and Downderry where you’ve put their charges up too. You don’t care – you really don’t.”

Martin Worth, chair of the scrutiny committee told Cllr Toms: “I hear your passion. I assure you that at the next meeting of the scrutiny committee we will pick up your point and make a decision and, if we wish to, go into the deeper dive that you’re looking for.”

Cllr Toms added: “Where is the share that will go back to any of your communities from the car parking charges? Please tell me, because I don’t know any. It ain’t happening and that’s in the policy.”

Andrew Long, who represents Callington and St Dominic as a member of the Mebyon Kernow/Green Group, said: “I want to echo what Cllr Toms said. I’m still challenged to find a link from the car park charging increases to the impact on town centre vitality. Where was the strategic impact assessment? The reason why there are so many people up in arms about this is because it doesn’t appear to have happened. If that is the case that is severe dereliction of duty of this council.

“Our town, for example, is a small market town. It is going to be severely impacted by those car park charges, particularly on a Sunday when people use it to go to church, markets and social events. That is going to have a really big impact on an area that has some of the highest levels of deprivation in Cornwall. Please can I ask the committee chair to look at it and if needs be have a special meeting to deal with it. People are so angered about this.”

Cllr Worth stressed again that the matter would be discussed in further detail at scrutiny committee meetings.

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