| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Council fleecing residents over parking | |
| Posted by: | Phil Taylor | |
| Date/Time: | 29/10/10 08:45:00 |
| Bob, I think you just ran up the white flag. It was me who asked officers to do the contribution analysis as when I was in charge of parking I got fed up with being accused of the council making money on CPZs when they don't. There are two ways you can eliminate the subsidy, increase charges or reduce costs. Labour have decided to increase charges at four times the rate required, the equivalent of levying a council tax increase of 1.9%. Unfortunately for drivers they will pick up this bill and it will come three months early on 1st January rather than 1st April. The changes proposed will reduce costs, simpler vouchers and direct debits for instance will over time reduce costs, but none of these savings are being passed on. If you understand the role of the scrutiny panels you will know that there was not a vote on the increase but a vote to refer the matter back to cabinet. The Tory members got everyone to agree that the executive should look at day vouchers at which point our job was done and a recommendation to look at this was made to cabinet. As a result Cllr Mahfouz has now backed down on his hourly voucher only plan and introduced a much less silly but still expensive day voucher at £3.50. That was effective opposition. A small victory for common sense but Labour are still taking the Mickey out of drivers. |