Leader
| NORTH YORKSHIRE |  | | | CLEVELAND | | | | COUNTY DURHAM | |
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Charging questions
PROPOSALS for introducing
car parking
charges in Hambleton
have been handled,
up to this point at least, with a
degree of good sense.
The charging scheme has
been explained reasonably
well and the council has encouraged
a debate about the
scale of charges proposed if
not the principle of introducing
them.
Unsurprisingly, the council's
proposal has been criticised.
There are many people in the
district who think charges of
any sort are a bad idea, either
because they are deemed to
be another tax on the motorist
or because they threaten the
viability of the district's market
towns.
Much of that criticism has
been aired through the
columns of this newspaper.
Until now, the council's Conservative
leadership has decided
not to respond to any of
it other than the short letter
published on page seven of
our Yorkshire and Cleveland
editions.
We have invited the council
to respond in a more comprehensive
way, and it has agreed
to do so.
Among the issues the council
should deal with in its response
is whether it has a
mandate to introduce what it
is known to be controversial
measure. While we would not
have expected councillors at
the last local elections to
overtly campaign on a "proparking
charges" ticket, none,
to our knowledge, included it
in any manifesto or campaign
literature.
The response also needs to
address the key concern about
the impact of charges on the
viability of the area's market
towns. Although we are aware
this is a matter the council has
considered carefully, it is an
issue over which businesses
need to be reassured.
The council also has a responsibility
to explain its position
more clearly over the ratecapping
business, which it
now blames for the need to
raise this extra revenue from
parking charges. Granted,
rate-capping is complicated
(and introduced by a Conservative
government by the way)
but taxpayers need to be told
why the council put itself in
that position back in 2005 and
opened up the financial hole it
find itself in.
12:57pm Friday 25th January 2008
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CommentPosted by: G T Barker, Northallerton on 4:01pm Fri 22 Feb 08
Sir
Once again Hambleton Council leaders are intent on penalising the motorist and the rural dweller. It looks like a fait-accompli.
Therefore to show the Council the strength of the opposition, I propose that we have a referendum on the issue.Anything above a 90% majority against will make them think about where the votes go in the 2011 local elections.
Yours sincerely
G T Barker
Sir
Once again Hambleton Council leaders are intent on penalising the motorist and the rural dweller. It looks like a fait-accompli.
Therefore to show the Council the strength of the opposition, I propose that we have a referendum on the issue.Anything above a 90% majority against will make them think about where the votes go in the 2011 local elections.
Yours sincerely
G T Barker
Posted by: Lisa Fallon, northallerton on 5:23pm Tue 1 Apr 08
Do the local residents of Northallerton realise that if parking charges are imposed, that people will park down side streets which are near to town to evade parking charges. I do not believe that Residents are aware that the streets outside their homes will have double yellow lines put down to try to deter people to park there but also that residents will have to pay to have a permit, to have the luxury to park outside their own home. All residents should start a petition for their street. everyone has the right to make their opinions known.
Do the local residents of Northallerton realise that if parking charges are imposed, that people will park down side streets which are near to town to evade parking charges. I do not believe that Residents are aware that the streets outside their homes will have double yellow lines put down to try to deter people to park there but also that residents will have to pay to have a permit, to have the luxury to park outside their own home. All residents should start a petition for their street. everyone has the right to make their opinions known.
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