Motion to lower car park prices in Powys fails

Councillor Gareth E Jones of the Independents for Powys group had originally tabled a motion for discussion at a Powys County Council meeting in July.

But the motion was withdrawn following promises of a review of the issue were made by the ruling Liberal Democrat/Labour administration.

The motion was brought back to the table for the meeting on Thursday, October 5.

The intention of the price hike when it was agreed as part of this year’s budget was to generate an extra £50,000 for the department.

The current forecast is that the Highways Transport and Recycling department which has responsibility for car parking would make £392,000 this year.

Councillor out comments he had received from a lady in Welshpool.

Councillor Jones explained that following a period of illness the lady had driven to Welshpool for an appointment.

When she got to Church Street Car Park she was “dismayed and annoyed” that the one hour option had been taken away and she was forced to pay £2.50 for two hours when her appointment was not going to take: “more than 35 minutes.”

She said that the: “council is not considering the needs of the people they are supposed to be representing especially the elderly.”

Councillor Jones added: “I feel that what she has said has summed the issue up better than I could have.”

Independent for Powys group leader councillor Jeremy Pugh who seconded the motion said that it had a “devastating impact” on rural communities who pop into towns to pick up “bits and bobs.”

The motion was to introduce the up to one hour parking period and in long stay car parks the price should be set at £1.40 in line with short stay car parks.

Conservative Councillor Pete Lewington had tabled an amendment to this proposal.

Councillor Lewington said: “While I’m pleased to see the motion – for me it doesn’t go far enough to address the concerns raised by businesses, residents and town and community councils across Powys.

He wanted to see the one hour parking charges capped at £1.

Green Party’s Jeremy Brignell-Thorp asked whether the review would hold any weight if the motion was approved?

Monitoring officer Clive Pinney said that if the motion was agreed the council would have to wait six months before looking at the issue again.

Finance portfolio holder labour’s councillor David Thomas said: “Normally when income generation generates more than the target for it, we’d be celebrating success.

“And it helps alleviate some of the pressures that’s placed on that service.”

He added that the motion was “highly dangerous” and identified a “serious flaw” in the process that could allow councillors to approve a motion that tips a department into an overspend position after a budget had been set.

Portfolio holder for Highways Transport and Recycling which includes car parks Liberal Democrat Jackie Charlton said: “It’s very clear to me that we desperately need this car parking review.

“We have set out our terms of reference and the working group will sit on October 26.

“There are 22 people on that group at the moment including businesses and town and community councillors.”

Councillor Lewington’s amendment to the motion then went to a vote first before councillor Gareth Jones’ motion and lost by 24 votes to 35.