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Comment

AS the consultation process over Hambleton District Council's proposals to introduce parking charges in its four main market towns comes to a close, it seems an appropriate moment to take stock of the extensive debate that has been aired in these pages over the past months.

That the response to the plans has been overwhelmingly negative is hardly a surprise.

Few people will happily welcome a proposal which will cost them money, especially after years of enjoying what is, in effect, a free service.

Some Hambleton councillors, however, will have been surprised at the extent of the opposition, which has been well organised, despite the absence of a chamber of trade organisation in the most important centre, Northallerton.

Our reading of the council's response so far is that the principle of charges is set in stone. There will be charges.

But concessions are likely in the form of changes to the charging structure proposed for Thirsk, which bizarrely was considered the equal of Northallerton by the council's consultants, and a concessionary regime for residents.

This was initially rejected by the consultants on the grounds that it costs more to administer and reduces income but it would be politically astute for the council's leadership to agree to a better deal for Hambleton residents.

Income may well be reduced but there appears to be desire on the part of many Hambleton taxpayers for the council to tighten its belt further rather than rely on parking charges to fill the hole in its coffers caused by the council tax capping business in 2006.

Considerable efficiency savings have been made since then, the council leadership will argue, but in truth the average Hambleton resident is unaware of that.

That may be the result of the council's success in protecting services, but the perception abroad is that the council is passing the entire burden for its misfortune on to motorists.

There needs to be some compromise here.

12:59pm Friday 2nd May 2008

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