Parking review delay anger

Opposition councillors are “extremely unhappy” that a long awaited update on the Powys County Council car park review has been cancelled.

A report on the controversial review was supposed to be before councillors at a meeting of the council’s Economy, Residents and Communities scrutiny committee tomorrow afternoon, (Friday, July 19).

But the meeting has been cancelled.

The car parking fees were increased as part of the 2023/2024 budget by the Liberal Democrat/Labour/Green administration which came into force in April last year.

A year ago, Powys Independents councillors Graham Breeze and Gareth E Jones who were at the time in different political groups joined forces to put forward a motion to council to review the increase.

This was in the belief that the council were making more money on the price hike than they expected.

The motion was withdrawn at the meeting on July 20, 2023, as cabinet member for highways and transport, Liberal Democrat Cllr Charlton told councillors that it “gave her great pleasure” to confirm that a car parking review would go ahead.

But little has emerged from the review since then...

Cllr Breeze said he was “extremely unhappy” with the presentation being pulled at short notice.

Cllr Breeze said: “Exactly a year ago, along with Cllr Jones, I agreed to withdraw a proposal to reintroduce the short stay parking charges on the understanding that a full review would take place.

“So why are we still kicking the can down the same road as we did in 2023 and at an ongoing increased parking cost to our residents – a decision made which is without any doubt causing untold damage to town centres across Powys.

“I personally feel let down and that in turn have let the people of Powys down by agreeing to what has become a ridiculous delay.”

He had been told that the costs of any recommendations from the review had not been “fully identified” by finance officers and they don’t have “details” of how the review outcomes aligns to “Sustainable Powys.”

This is council’s new approach to streamlining services based on four towns in the county.

Cllr Breeze added: “Should we perhaps be thinking that the findings of the report do not concur with the thoughts of the ruling group.”

A spokesman for Powys Council said: “The car park review report has been delayed so that further work can be carried out.

“Given that the report was the only item that was due to be considered by committee, Friday’s meeting has been cancelled.”